MARGAO
But the presence of Congress Legislative Party spokesman Reginaldo Lourenco, Goa Forward Party mentor Vijai Sardesai and NCP leaders, including president Jose Philip D’Souza and party candidates Nelly Rodrigues and Vincent Rodrigues on one platform did raise many an eyebrow in the audience. Their presence was the talking point against the backdrop of reports that the NCP has offered a tie-up with the Goa Forward party if the Congress cold shoulders plea for a grand alliance of the anti-BJP forces in the state.
While the three main players, Vijai, Jose Philip and Reginaldo, did not touch on the issue of alliance to fight the BJP, the trio did use the platform to make a fervent plea to Goans to unite and send home the ruling dispensation.
They took the opportunity to slam the government for the I-T notice served on the Church with Vijay going to the extent of saying that there’s a clear-cut attempt made to silence the opinion makers in Goa, including the Church and the media, ahead of the 2017 Assembly election.
“First, the I-T department raided a media house and now the notice to the Church. Both are opinion makers and it is a sheer coincidence that the government has targeted these two institutions to silence them ahead of the election,” he said.
In his brief address, Reginaldo said that the government is trying to divert attention of the people through issues such as demonetisation and I-T notice to the Church.
Reginaldo told The Goan after the function that his presence had nothing to do with politics, as he had come to attend a socio-cultural function. He lambasted BJP MLA Nilesh Cabral for his statement on the I-T notice.
