MARGAO
Claiming that Congress leaders have been in touch with him in recent days, Congress-turned-BJP MLA Wilfred D’Sa on Friday said that GPCC Chief Girish Chodankar is one of the reasons for the 10 MLAs quitting the Congress to join the BJP.
Saying that he would seek re-election from Nuvem in the 2022 Assembly election, D’Sa said the question of whether he would contest the polls as an independent or under party banner will be decided after consulting his workers across the constituency. He, however, hastened to add that most of his supporters want him to seek re-election as an Independent candidate. He said he has no contact with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
When it was pointed out that the GPCC Chief has ruled out admissions for the 10 party defectors, D’Sa directed his tirade at the Congress president, saying the people of Goa know that Girish has finished the Congress party.
Alleging that Girish has been contesting elections only to collect funds, D’Sa said the GPCC chief should have contested from his home constituency Fatorda, but had instead contested from Panaji and North Goa. “Girish has finished the Congress. That was one of the reasons why the 10 Congress MLAs had to leave the party”, he asserted.
He pointed out that he had to leave the Congress to bring development in the constituency, saying the constituency has suffered for 25 years for want of development.
“I will go with the wishes and sentiments of my supporters before taking a decision whether to contest as an independent or under a party banner”, he said.
Friday fight: War of words between
Wilfred & Cabral over local issues
Nuvem MLA Wilfred D’Sa at a media briefing along with Sarpanchas and panchas from Nuvem. Santosh Mirajkar
Congress leader Jose Cabral with citizens briefing the media
Santosh Mirajkar
MARGAO: Friday saw Congress leaders from Nuvem and the Cong-turned-BJP MLA Wilfred D’Sa engaged in a war of words, with allegations and counter allegations, on local issues, including the development of the constituency.
If Jose Cabral briefed the media on Friday morning with a group of local people to stop harassment by the MLA on a host of issues, even warning the MLA not to test the patience of the people of the constituency, the MLA addressed the media in the evening along with his sarpanchas and panchas to refute the allegations.
Jose Cabral charged the MLA for his failure on the development front in the constituency. Wilfred shot back, saying the development he ushered in the constituency is there for the people to see, saying that development works worth over Rs 60 crore will start in the coming months across the constituency.
The Congress leader charged the MLA for abuse and misuse of state machinery, accusing D’Sa for getting a citizen arrested by the police for questioning the MLA when he was speaking at a prize distribution function.
The MLA, however, begged to differ. He said the police took the citizen in custody after he abused him at the function.
While the Congress leader and citizens pointed to the illegal dumping of garbage on the Loutolim plateau with the connivance of the MLA, the MLA recalled that he along with Loutolim Sarpanch Tony Vaz and panch members had maintained a vigil at the dumping site to ensure that the culprits are taken to task.
Cabral warned that the people of Nuvem will have to take to the streets if the dictatorial acts and harassment of the people continue, saying the MLA will be solely responsible for any law and order situation.
D’Sa, however, said the people of Nuvem have been living peacefully in the last four years without any incident. He said some people who are planning to contest the Assembly elections are threatening to disturb the peaceful atmosphere in the constituency.
