MARGAO
Sitting Congress MP Francisco Sardinha has expressed disappointment that his plea seeking re-election for the fifth time from South Goa did not find favour with the Congress High Command.
The four-time Congress heavyweight was guarded in his reaction after news trickled in from the National Capital that the Congress has nominated ex-serviceman Capt Viriato Fernandes for South Goa.
“I am disappointed over the Congress decision since I had worked hard in the last five years executing MPLAD schemes in my constituency and taking up issues plaguing Goa in Parliament or before the concerned Ministries,” he told The Goan.
Sardinha, however, hastened to add “may be God did not want me to contest the election so that I remain in good health”.
Asked about his future course of action, the irrepressible MP said he has nothing to say, other than expressing his disappointment over the development. Sardinha, however, reminded that he has been in active politics for over decades during which time he was elected to the Goa Legislative Assembly six times, and rose to become the State’s Chief Minister in 2000 for a brief stint. “People of South Goa had elected me to represent them in Parliament on four occasions. I had never lost a Lok sabha election,” he said.
When it was pointed out that his ardent supporters must have been also disappointed over the denial of Congress ticket, he replied in the positive. When asked whether the age factor did not go in his favour and that must have cost him the nomination to contest the coming election, Sardinha said, ‘Many say that the age factor might have come in the way of my ticket. But, even my supporters say there are several Congress leaders more elderly than me’.
