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MAPUSA
Stating that there was panic in the BJP camp, Congress candidate for Mapusa bypoll, Sudhir Kandolkar said that TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai was seen moving around and meeting a specific community in Mapusa on Sunday.
“We have got to understand that TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai had a meeting in a minority dominated area. I don’t understand why they have to stoop to such level and visit only one section of the community. It’s now clear that BJP is rattled with the popularity of Congress in Mapusa,” Kandolkar said.
The Congress candidate was addressing a news conference in his Mapusa office just before the campaigning for the three bypolls and the two parliamentary seats
ended at 5 pm on Sunday along with other leaders and supporters.
Former Goa Forward party minority cell, chairman, Feroz Khan alleged that GFP chief, Vijai Sardesai was distributing lollipops to minorities in Mapusa.
“Mapxekars are smart. They have already decided whom to vote. They will not fall to such tricks now,” Khan said.
Continuing, Kandolkar said he has covered most of the areas in Mapusa during the door-to-door campaign and has received very good response from the people.
“Which ever house we went to, at least one member of that house voluntarily joined our campaign and that is why one could see a lot of people with me,” he said.
He said people wanted development and he would definitely fulfill the wishes of the people.
Rubbishing the allegations that he was raising the bogey of non-development because he was contesting the election, Kandolkar said that he always took up issues of development along with the former Mapusa MLA.
“I faithfully pursued all developmental works in Mapusa but the final onus was with the local MLA who was also a minister,” he said.
Countering the allegation of irregularities in the municipal, he said it was incompetence of the former chairpersons.
“If they say I am responsible for the irregularities in Mapusa market then it is completely false. Actually, it was the miss-management done by Rohan Kavlekar when he was the chairperson,” he said.
He further said they chose to raise these issues only because he was contesting the election.
North Goa District Congress President, Vijay Bhike said Congress will win the Mapusa seat with a big margin.
He said with the support of MGP, former Goa Forward Party leaders and some NGOs, Kandolkar’s victory was assured.
Bhike said that ministers making a beeline to Mapusa and going around in wards to campaign for the BJP candidate clearly indicated the mood in the BJP camp.
“A lot of money and muscle power may be used in next 36 hours. I therefore appeal to swabhiman Mapxekar to remain alert and report to the authorities,” Bhike said.
GPCC executive member, Sudin Naik and Congress leader, Francis Fernandes also spoke.
I met a few people in Mapusa who had some issues: Sardesai
MAPUSA: TCP Minister and Goa Forward party chief, Vijai Sardesai said he had come to Mapusa on Sunday to meet a few people and that there was nothing secret about it as he was under the scanner of the officials of the Election Commission.
“I had come to meet a few people in Mapusa. They had some issues so I had come to look at them. I met some people and had a small meeting at one of the person’s place,” Sardesai told The Goan.
He said the Election Commission official has also recorded the meeting. “Nothing was done on the sly. I was there for an hour or so,” he said.
Sources informed that the TCP minister was accompanied by Vice President of GFP, Akbar Mulla along with BJP candidate, Joshua D’Souza met a section of the minority leaders in Mapusa.
