MAPUSA
Citing differences over seat-sharing talks between Goa Forward Party (GFP) and Congress, former MLA, Kiran Kandolkar resigned from the GFP on Saturday morning.
Along with him, his wife Kavita Kandolkar who is a Zilla Panchayat member, GFP’s executive member Jennifer Gomes, GFP’s North Goa district president Pravin Asolkar and a host of other supporters also tendered their registration from the party.
“From the ongoing alliance talks, it appears Congress does not want to hand over Aldona seat to the GFP. Secondly, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram along with some local leaders was seen campaigning in Aldona constituency on Friday. My supporters asked me to quit GFP,” Kandolkar said, adding that when he joined the GFP the deal was that he and his wife would get to contest in Aldona and Tivim constituencies.
The former MLA along with a few of his supporters was addressing the media at his residence on Saturday.
Meanwhile, reports said that Kandolkar and his wife along with a few sarpanchas and members of various panchayats of Tivim and Aldona constituency joined TMC along with their supporters.
The former MLA’s honeymoon with GFP lasted just a little over a year. Kandolkar along with five sarpanchas had joined the Goa Forward on Oct 26, 2020 at a function in Assonora.
Kandolkar said he had nothing against GFP President Vijai Sardesai and in fact respected him for his leadership qualities.
“I don’t trust the Congress. I am not leaving GFP because of Vijai Sardesai. I have worked with Vijai for more than a year and respect him. My decision to quit the party is based on the advice of the Aldona people,” he said.
He further said that Congress had cheated Sardessai in 2012 and 2017 and they could do the same to him this time around.
Kandolkar said that Congress was the “B” team of BJP as after getting elected on Congress ticket the MLAs crossover to the BJP.
“It looks like the Congress is not serious about 2022 assembly polls. It is true that BJP will lose the forthcoming election, but it is not certain that Congress will win the polls. People have decided to send the BJP home but it does not mean that Congress will win,” he said.
He said he was not aware of the nitty-gritties about the alliance talks between Congress and GFP as he was not part of the talks.
“I have decided to quit GFP as I want to see the back of the BJP candidates from Tivim and Aldona,” he said.
