the goan I network
MAPUSA
Breaking his almost month-long silence, Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo on Friday said mid-term elections were imminent in the State and people of Goa who were unhappy were looking for a change.
Lobo also slammed politicians for taking people for granted and expressed reservations at legislators quitting their membership at the drop of the hat.
“With the current political situation, election is imminent and it will happen. You cannot change the situation with so much of unrest,” Lobo said.
The deputy speaker, who had gone into a shell after his initial outbursts against his government, once again chose to raise his voice for the sake of “people of Goa”.
He said that there was unrest not only among the people but also among politicians and political parties in the State.
“It’s difficult to know who (politician) is going where. No one knows what will happen tomorrow. Which politician will go where, you never know. There are rumours another two Congress MLAs are quitting…,” he said.
Expressing disgust at the politics of deceit, the Calangute MLA said constant resignations by elected representatives send a wrong message to the voters.
“We have been elected to do work, not to quit. I think politicians are taking people of Goa for granted. When you get elected you represent not only the people of the constituency but also of Goa. And when such things happen, people lose faith in us (politicians),” he opined.
Two Congress MLAs -- Subhash Shirodkar and Dayanand Sopte -- had recently resigned as legislators and subsequently joined the saffron party.
The entry of the two
Congress men had rankled the rank and file of the BJP in the two constituencies particularly in Mandrem where former chief minister, Laxmikant Parsekar, had openly revolted against the party’s decision.
Lobo said that the government appeared to have lost its direction and people were unhappy with the going-on in the State.
“People have elected us to do what they (people) want. But our direction has changed. We are doing things the way we want. People are not happy with the way the administration is functioning or how the governance is happening,” he said.
The Calangute MLA said in the near future, “when the time is ripe” people will bring the required change in Goa.
“People have a lot of expectations from us which is not happening. They are watching us. They know exactly what has to be done and when. Every time such situations come, people bring in a change,” Lobo said.
Parrikar must introspect on handing over charge: Calangute MLA
MAPUSA: Calangute MLA Michael Lobo said Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar would have to “ask his conscience” whether the charge of the government can be given to a senior cabinet minister to run the day to day affairs of the State. “CM has to ask himself. He has to ask his conscience whether he should give charge or not and if he cannot handle it, then he should give charge and still remain as the CM,” Lobo said. >> See pg 3
