the goan I network
MARGAO
Apparently mounting pressure on the BJP national leadership to keep the Goa Forward party out of the coalition, the 10-member group of Congress MLAs, who have joined the BJP, has made it crystal clear to the BJP national leadership, including Party President Amit Shah that the Goa Forward party Ministers should not be part of the coalition government.
Cuncolim MLA Clafacio Dias went a step further and disclosed that they have further told the BJP leadership that they are ready to quit and sit at home, but will not entertain the presence of Goa Forward ministers in the Cabinet. “This is the demand of the 10 MLAs, who have joined the BJP. This demand has been conveyed to Amit Shah. We are confident that the BJP leadership will take note of the sentiments of the MLAs. Otherwise, we may even quit our seats and sit at home,” Clafacio told The Goan on Friday.
He squarely blamed Goa Forward party chief Vijai Sardesai for his decision to break away from the Congress to join the BJP. “On the one hand, Vijai was sabotaging my development in Cuncolim by promoting the Joaquim-Yuri Alemao duo. On the other hand, people of Goa and the BJP were fed up with many decisions taken by Vijai Sardesai aimed at destroying Goa,” he said.
The Cuncolim MLA pointed out that there was virtual loot in the TCP department presided over by Vijai Sardesai, saying conversions on case-to-case basis only promoted rampant conversion and corruption.
Saying that he has not joined the BJP alone, but has embraced the party along with nine other MLAs, Clafacio sought to allay apprehensions in the minds of the people towards the BJP. “Out of the 27 BJP MLAs, more than half, around 15 MLAs to be precise belong to the Catholic community. Even before we had joined the BJP, there were already seven MLAs in the party, with two MLAs in the Cabinet. I do not think that our decision to join the BJP will go against the community. In fact, the decision will help usher development in my constituency,” he added.
“What is an MLA expected to do when your development work is sabotaged by the Goa Forward Minister. I had taken up the issue with the Congress leadership, but in vain,” he said.
Saying that infightings amongst Congress leaders denied the party to form the government after the 2017 Assembly polls, Clafacio said party leaders did not learn a lesson from the 2017 fiasco. “The Congress party is a good party, but the leaders are not united,” he added.
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