the goan I network
PANAJI
In a move that could strain political equations in the ruling coalition, Goa Forward Party president, Vijai Sardesai on Sunday made no bones of his intention to expand the footprints of his fledgling party in eight constituencies, including the three it already represents and one held by the BJP.
“Today we are launching an all-purpose helpline for eight constituencies. It will be like a quasi-government arrangement to ensure people’s issues with the government and administration are expedited and sorted out,” Sardesai said at a press conference.
Accompanying him was the entire top brass of the party, including ministers Jayesh Salgaonkar and Vinoda Palyekar, besides vice-president Babush Monserrate.
Apart from his own Fatorda, Jayesh’s Saligao and Palyekar’s Siolim, Sardesai said the helpline will be fully active in Ponda, St Cruz, Taleigao, Mayem and Cuncolim, where the party already has a “strong structure” to make it work like a quasi-government arrangement.
Sardesai’s political move gains significance at a time when the principal coalition partner BJP is grappling with a revolt of sorts from party stalwarts and cadres to the ongoing politics of defection endorsed by the leadership in the wake of the impasse caused by the absence in action of ailing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.
One of the eight constituencies -- Mayem -- is held by the BJP and it could upset the political equations within the ruling coalition. The BJP is also facing a revolt from within with at least three top leaders -- Mapusa MLA Francis D’Souza, former chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar and former speaker Rajendra Arlekar -- among several others publicly voicing their dissent over recent political developments.
Sardesai however, sought to downplay the political repercussion of his political expansion move on the coalition saying, his party was only eyeing one constituency out of the 40 where BJP has a presence.
“If we cannot try to expand even in one constituency then what are we in politics for,” Sardesai asked and used a colloquial Konkani expression ‘ami bhojim bazpak assa thor’ (are we here to fry pakodas) to demonstrate that the political decision is irreversible.
Sardesai also side-stepped a query on Goa Forward’s stance on by-elections expected to be held to fill the vacancies in Shiroda and Mandrem.
He said, he will articulate it when the dates are announced for the bye-polls, insisting however, that Goa Forward has a footprint in Shiroda where they have an elected sarpanch.
Meanwhile, responding to a query on why he felt the need to launch a ‘quasi-government’ type arrangement when he was in the government, Sardesai said there were certain issues where the government was not fully responsive to the demands of the people due to inherent and systemic bureaucracy-related hurdles.
“Through this helpline we will intervene to resolve matters raised by the people in departments not held by our party ministers as well,” he said.
Responding to another query, Sardesai said he does not foresee a mid-term election in Goa, adding that those voicing its possibility are either defeated candidates or people who have won and not got what they expected in power.
“All of them will stop talking of a mid-term poll after some time,” Sardesai said.
