MARGAO
In a significant political development, the Goa Forward party has on Thursday entered Raia, the village which is part of Curtorim constituency represented by Independent MLA Reginaldo Lourenco, by inducting former Raia Sarpanch Luis Caetano Quadros and his supporters into the regional party.
Goa Forward chief Vijai Sardesai made it clear that the party’s entry into Raia is aimed at the upcoming Zilla Panchayat polls. He said Goa Forward will expand into other constituencies too, noting that ZP polls are treated as a “semi-final” before the 2027 Assembly elections. As a political party, he stressed, Goa Forward cannot afford to remain absent. “It is our right to contest,” Sardesai said after inducting former Raia sarpanch Luis Quadros and his supporters in the party fold.
Raia is the second ZP constituency after Davorlim in Navelim Assembly constituency in Salcete where the Goa Forward party has decided to contest the coming ZP election.
Sardesai confirmed Goa Forward’s entry into Raia is aimed at the upcoming ZP polls, stressing he won’t enter “through the backdoor.” He said the party will expand into more areas, and expressed confidence that Goa Forward will win.
Sardesai said he has long supported the people of Raia, including Luis Quadros. While many MLAs joined or backed the BJP, their workers did not, leaving them “orphaned.” He added that when such workers approach Goa Forward, the party will stand firmly by them.
Luis Quadros told the media that he and his supporters decided to join the Goa Forward party after seeing the performance of MLA Vijai Sardesai both within the Assembly and outside.
