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THE GOAN NETWORK
MAPUSA: The Congress campaign in Bardez got a boost after former minority wing chairman of Goa Forward Party (GFP) and a member of GFP from Siolim constituency along with their supporters joined Congress on Wednesday.
After joining Congress, both former minority wing chairman of GFP, Feroz Khan and GFP member, Dattaram Pednekar pledged support to the candidature of Congress candidate for North Goa Lok Sabha seat, Girish Chodankar and Mapusa bypoll candidate, Sudhir Kandolkar.
“With MGP, Goa Forward Party, AAP and NCP leaders and supporters extending support to Congress, victory of all five Congress candidates contesting the bypolls and Lok Sabha election is a forgone conclusion,” said Girish Chodankar, North Goa Lok Sabha candidate and GPCC chief.
The North Goa Lok Sabha candidate was addressing a gathering after accepting the membership forms of the two GFP leaders at a function organized by Siolim Congress block at Canca, near Mapusa.
Speaking further, Chodankar said the Congress party was a family and all those who join Congress automatically become members of the family.
“This is an opportunity for both the leaders to reach out to people and help the party grow,” he said.
Chodankar said BJP should be taught a lesson for failing to tackle issues concerning the people of Goa. “They only indulged in horse-trading for its survival. Goans who have seen through the games of deceit have just one aim and that is to defeat BJP in this election,” he said.
Slamming Union Minister of State for Ayush, Shirpad Naik, he said the BJP MP recently released a booklet of his achievements as North Goa MP where he has listed things which were never accomplished.
“I did not expect Shripad to tell lies and mislead the people of Goa,” Chodankar said lashing out at his opponent, adding, “He must apologise to the people of Goa for the lies he has listed in the booklet.”
Besides GPCC chief, PCC members, Amarnath Panjikar, Tulio De Souza, North Goa District Congress President, Vijay Bhike, GPCC communication department convenor, Trajano D’Mello and several leaders from MGP and local sarpanchas and panch members were also present.
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‘Goa Forward cheated Goemkars in the name of Goemkarponn'MAPUSA: Slamming the leadership of Goa Forward Party (GFP), the party's former minority wing, chairman, Firoz Khan said the GFP went back on its word to safeguard Goenkarponn for selfish gains.
“Their U-turn towards the electorate in 2017 was nothing but stabbing its own people, voters and sympathisers in the back. They have cheated Goemkars in the name of Goemkarponn and it's time voters show these people their right place," Khan said.
Urging people not to fall prey to calls of fake Goemkarponn, he challenged the Goa Forward chief Vijai Sardessai to come in the open on the recent statement by its NDA partner (BJP) on the issue of National Register of Citizens (NRC).
"BJP speaks of encouraging and allowing infiltration on the basis of religion which is anti-national in our secular country. Is it indirectly speaking of deleting the existing minorities as citizens of this country?" he questioned.
Lashing out at GFP's fake propaganda of Goemkarponn, Khan alleged it was nothing but only Fot, Foting and Fotingponn to take personal agenda and self-benefits ahead.
He hit out at the GFP leadership for taking the minority community in the State for a ride.
"Minority community needs jobs for the educated, housing for commoners while the dead still await kabrasthan in every city of Goa. Some people in the name of Goemkarponn just play politics over it," he said.
