the goan I network
MARGAO
The Congress ‘Jana Gana Mana, Nomon Tuka Goykara’ juggernaut rolled into the party’s stronghold Salcete on Friday, with party MLAs welcoming the Congress leaders and activists led by State Congress president Girish Chodankar in Navelim, Velim, Cuncolim and Curtorim.
If party veteran and Navelim MLA made his presence felt at the Navelim busy junction to welcome Girish, Mahila Congress chief Pratima Coutinho, district president Joe Dias and the dedicated band of party workers, Velim MLA Filipe Neri Rodrigues was present at Chinchinim market and moved around the workers along with Faleiro, Girish and Joe to hear the grievances of the common man. Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco received the party leaders in Curtorim later in the evening.
The Congress leaders and workers later headed to Cuncolim by public transport where they were received at the Cuncolim bus stand by local MLA Clafacio Dias.
The Congress leaders interacted with the motorcycle pilots, rickshaw drivers and the common men to listen to their grievances, promising them that the Congress will take up their issues with the government for redressal.
The Navelim MLA in particular lambasted the government for the host of issues plaguing the government, right from unemployment amongst the youth, power and water woes et al. “There’s unemployment all around and there’s no hope for jobs in Goa. Business and industry has not seen any growth. The economic situation has gone backward. Nearly 50 per cent of the youth are unemployed. Students are facing problems to get admissions in colleges and higher secondary schools,” Faleiro lamented, adding ‘while the transport sector is feeling the heat of the fuel price rise, the Modi government has thought fit to reduce the price by one paisa’.
GPCC Chief Girish Chodankar told the media that Goa has neither a Chief Minister nor a government or administration, forcing Congress workers to go to the villages and listen to the public grievances.
“We will either try to solve the problems at our level, or we will take up the issues before the government,” Girish said.
While blaming both the Centre and the Goa government for the sorry state of jobs, Girish demanded to know whether the government has implemented the promises made in the election manifesto to provide jobs to the Goan youth, while accusing the BJP for forming the coalition government without the mandate of the Goan populace.
Huge response indicates rising strength of Cong in Mandrem: Girish
PERNEM: Stating that people from Mandrem constituency had created history by defeating then chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar in the 2017 assembly election, GPCC President Girish Chodankar appealed to Mandrekars to continue supporting the Congress.
He was speaking during the ‘Jana Gana Mana, Noman Tuka Goykara’ programme at Mandrem on Thursday.
The Congress party workers along with their leaders organised a rally from Shree Bhagavati Sapteshwar Mandir to Mandhlamaj-Mandrem to create awareness among people about its activities.
“The response we got in Mandrem clearly indicates the rising strength of the Congress,” he added.
“We listened to public grievances the entire day. One major problem faced by people is at the Pernem Police station, where police serve ministers instead of public,” claimed Chodankar.
Mandrem MLA Dayanand Sopte said he is committed to work for people despite being an opposition MLA.
“Development works worth Rs 15 crore will be undertaken in Mandrem constituency, which primarily includes repairs of roads,” said Sopte, while thanking residents for taking part in the rally in large numbers.
Mandrem Sarpanch Rajavi Sawant, Deputy Sarpanch Dennis Britto, Keri-Tiracol Sarpanch Uday Gawandi, Agarwaddo Sarpanch Sangita Naik, GPCC Vice President Babi Bagkar, general secretary Subhash Kerkar, Congress Mahila President Pratima Coutinho, Mandrem Block Congress President Sudesh Sawant and Pernem Block Congress President Umesh Talvnekar were among those present during the day-long programme.
