Fatorda Block Congress social media page highlighting the developmental projects ushered in Fatorda by the Congress governments. Fatorda MLA and Goa Forward chief Vijai Sardeai kick-starting his campaign from Amrutnagar ward of Fatorda.
MARGAO
In what could be an early indication of the Congress party’s plans to step up its political activities in Fatorda, the home turf of Goa Forward chief and Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai, the Fatorda Block Congress Committee has begun highlighting developmental works undertaken in the constituency during previous Congress governments.
The move comes barely days after Sardesai announced that all alliance talks with the Congress had been suspended following a decision by the Goa Forward Party’s Political Affairs Committee, adding a fresh political dimension to Congress activities in a constituency represented by Sardesai for the past 15 years.
The Fatorda Block Congress Committee has posted on its social media platform a list of various developmental projects that, it claims, were brought to the constituency during Congress rule. The move is being seen as an attempt by the party to place its development record before voters and revive its organisational machinery in Fatorda.
Fatorda Block Congress Committee president Yogesh Nagvenkar said the block had received instructions from Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Girish Chodankar to begin organisational work in the constituency.
“As part of the work, we have uploaded the list of developmental projects taken up in Fatorda constituency by the Congress government in the past. The same page was uploaded on the Block Committee’s page on the eve of the 2021 Margao Municipal polls,” Nagvenkar said.
He said the block committee was now gearing up to activate the party’s rank and file across Fatorda and undertake greater political engagement with residents.
The Congress’ renewed activity in Fatorda assumes significance given Sardesai’s long-standing political presence in the constituency.
South Goa district committee member from Fatorda Melvyn Fernandes said the Congress had played a major role in bringing several developmental projects to the constituency over the years.
“It is the Congress that was responsible for bringing a host of developmental projects to Fatorda over the years. We will take this issue to the people of Goa in the coming days,” Fernandes told The Goan.
The Congress’ move comes at a time when its relationship with Goa Forward has come under strain. Alliance talks between the two parties have hit a roadblock following the recent controversy involving Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao and Sardesai over an invitation to a meeting of Opposition MLAs.
While the two parties had been engaged in discussions on Opposition unity, the latest developments have raised questions over the immediate prospects of any political understanding between Congress and Goa Forward.
Against this backdrop, the Congress’ decision to activate its block-level organisation in Fatorda could signal a shift in its approach towards the constituency.
Incidentally, Sardesai has also begun stepping up his public engagement in Fatorda. The Goa Forward chief recently kicked off his campaign in the constituency from the Amrutnagar area, where he interacted with residents and took up civic issues affecting the locality.
