MARGAO
Asserting that Goa Forward’s alliance with the BJP is dead with the passing away of late Manohar Parrikar, Goa Forward Chief Vijai Sardesai on Monday said the regional party will not leave any stone unturned to target and damage the saffron party keeping up to the sentiments of the people of Goa.
He said the GFP will contest 12 seats in the 2022 Assembly elections, with the party working president Kiran Kandolkar saying it will also contest in seats such as Madkai and Priol if the MGP ties up with the BJP.
Welcoming ex-Ponda Municipal Council Chairperson and BJP leader Venkatesh Naik in the party-fold in the presence of party leaders, including Kiran Kandolkar, Sardesai made it clear that the GFP has not targeted the Congress in the scheme of things out of respect for the public sentiments which want the defeat of the BJP in the state.
Commenting on a query whether the Goa Forward is only welcoming disgruntled politicians from the BJP into the party-fold, Sardesai shot back, “Congress party is not on our radar. It’s not that we cannot touch the Congress, but we don’t want to do so in view of the public sentiments.”
On Goa Forward’s alliance with the BJP-led NDA and why the regional party has still not severed its ties with the alliance, Sardesai said, “By and large, the NDA does not exist and hence there’s no question of quitting it. There is scant respect to the coalition partners by the BJP all across the country. By the way, I have been a bitter critic of the BJP central and state governments. I would have showered praises on the government if I was part of the NDA.” After former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s death, our relationship with the NDA is dead, he asserted.
Asked why the GFP was not making its presence in Salcete taluka, Sardesai said, “We are certainly not for a situation where we reach a point of no return. When we accept someone in the party, we cannot backstab them. We did not backstab Parrikar when he was on the death bed, but honoured our word and commitment made to him till the last.”
Saying that GFP’s move to induct former BJP leader from Ponda, Ventakesh Naik, is not in any way linked to the ensuing municipal polls, Sardesai pointed out that Ponda municipality will go to the polls only in 2023, saying Naik’s entry into the party is part of the regional party’s preparedness for the 2022 Assembly election.
Saying that the Goa Forward will make the government’s plan for cannabis cultivation an issue in the ensuing municipal election, Sardesai asserted, “We will make it a major poll issue and tell the people should they should not vote for a ganja party.”
He demanded action against Power Minister Nilesh Cabral for supporting cannabis cultivation if the government had no intention to go for the cultivation of drugs.
Asked to comment on Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s announcement that the ruling party is all geared up to contest all the 40 Assembly seats, Sardesai said in a lighter vein that the CM will win the election from Dodamarg. “Let CM decide about himself instead of talking about the rest of Goa,” he added.’
He said that the Goa Forward will coordinate with the Congress to floor the government in the ensuing Assembly session. “It is for the Opposition leader to take a call whether he should coordinate with the Goa Forward in the coming civic polls,” he mentioned.
