Govt turns development clock backwards in Tivim: Halarnkar
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Accuses local MLA of trying to woo panch members to his side
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THE GOAN NETWORK
MAPUSA
Accusing the government of failing to bring about any significant development in Tivim, former tourism minister Nilkant Halarnkar said the local MLA only carried out petty development works of building gutters and roads in the constituency.
“The clock of development is turning backwards in Tivim. In spite of the MLA’s government in power, Tivim has failed to get a significant project,” Halarnkar said.
Halarnkar was addressing a news conference at his office at Carraswaddo in the presence of Congress general secretary Trajano D’Mello, newly-elected Tivim Sarpanch Shivdas Kambli and other panch members.
Coming out all guns blazing, the former tourism minister hit out at the government for trying to exert pressure on the panch members who owed allegiance to him (Nilkanth).
“The government delayed to hold the sarpanch election in Tivim and used all kinds of methods to win over the panch members,” he said.
Praising the panch members for resisting offers and staying together, he said the five panchayat members stuck together despite the government’s step-motherly treatment to the panchayat.
He said during his term as an MLA, he had built five overhead water tanks and two playgrounds in Tivim and challenged the local MLA Kiran Kandolkar to list out his development works.
“The local MLA has not been able to accomplish work of even the level of a sarpanch. He has only helped people to fill Griha Aadhaar forms from his office,” Halarnkar lashed out.
Accusing the local MLA of employing commission agent, he alleged most of the works in the constituency have been contracted to selected contractors.
Trajano D’Mello said that the people in general regretted bringing BJP to power in 2012.
Lauding the Tivim panchayat members for remaining united despite pressure, he said the members showed that money cannot buy them.
Sarpanch Shivdas Kambli said that election to the sarpanch's post was delayed due to political influence.
“There were pressures to break our group but they did not succeed in their games,” Kambli said.
He said the panchayat has been functioning within its own means despite government denying funds and grants to it.
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AAP won’t affect me: Halarnkar
MAPUSA: Making light work of the Aam Aadmi Party challenge, former tourism minister Nilkant Halarnkar said that AAP has no say in Tivim and it would not harm his prospects in the polls.
“AAP has hardly any presence in Tivim and it will not affect my prospects in the assembly election. The people of Tivim are with me,” Halarnkar told The Goan.
He further said that a few persons who were moving with the current Tivim MLA were now moving about as AAP volunteers.
