Fissures in Congress over tie-up with GFP

MARGAO 
In a major development, the Fatorda Block Congress committee has fielded as many as six candidates under the banner of Congress For Fatorda panel for the ensuing elections for the Margao civic body, even as Margao MLA and Opposition Leader Digambar Kamata and Curtorim MLA came under intense fire within the party for joining hands with Goa Forward Party.    

Block President Piedade Noronha said they will extend support to a couple of candidates in the fray for the civic polls.

Fatorda block in-charge, Dr Ashish Kamat and Congress leader Trajano D’Mello questioned Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat for his decision to forge an alliance with Goa Forward Party for the Margao municipal election, saying the regional party is still a member of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Fatorda Block Congress candidates in the fray include Baretto Fatima (ward 3), Jessy Sandra Vaz (ward 4), Nagvenkar Yogesh (ward 6), Roshal Fernandes (ward 9), Kamat Rajat Luma (ward 10) and Sayed Anwar Babulal (ward 11).

Fatorda Block Congress in-charge Dr Ashish Kamat said the Congress leadership had taken a call that local leaders will decide on fielding panels for the ensuing municipal polls since the elections are not fought on party lines. 

“Opposition Leader Digambar Kamat, who represents Margao, did not take the Fatorda Block Congress into confidence before forging the Margao Civic Alliance with the Goa Forward Party. I had told Kamat that since Vijai Sardesai is part of the NDA, which is headed by the BJP, he should quit the NDA. No Congressmen will forget how he had ditched the Congress in 2017,” he said, while reminding that Fatorda has been a Congress bastion in the past.

Trajano questioned the Digambar and Reginaldo Lourenco for holding hands with Goa Forward, which is still a part of the NDA, saying the three leaders have come together for their self-interest and not in the interest of the party.

Trajano demanded to know why Curtorim Congress MLA Reginaldo Lourenco did not field candidates in the three municipal wards falling in Curtorim constituency, while suspecting a conspiracy to weaken the Congress in Margao, Fatorda and Curtorim.

“The UPA’s fight is against the NDA. How will the Congress fight the NDA when party leaders have entered into an alliance with a NDA partner in the Margao municipal polls,” Trajano asserted.

Suspecting that huge money will flow into the Margao municipal election, he demanded that the government agencies such as the ED maintain a watch in Fatorda during the polls.