Regain lost ground, Shah to MLAs

the goan I networkrPANAJI rAfter putting up a poor show in the just-concluded Legislative Assembly polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has sprung into action to build its organisation in the non-BJP represented constituencies, except those represented by coalition partners. rBJP National President Amit Shah has asked party MLAs to adopt an additional constituency and nurture it. The move has been aimed at regaining hold over these constituencies that the Party lost to the Opposition. rShah held a meeting with BJP MLAs on Saturday afternoon in Panaji. All MLAs attended the meeting except Calangute MLA Michael Lobo, who is out of town. Health Minister Vishwajit Rane, too, was a part of the meeting. rSources present at the meeting said, “All MLAs have been asked to take up one more constituency in addition to their own and nurture it. These constituencies include those represented mainly by the Congress. However, they have strictly been asked not to go to the constituencies represented by the coalition partners.” r“The MLAs have been asked to chalk out a detailed schedule about which constituency they will adopt and how they will nurture it. Most likely, the additional constituency will be the neighbouring one as it would be easier for the MLAs to carry out the work. After four months, Shah is expected to visit Goa to review the entire exercise”, sources said. rWith coalition partners -- Goa Forward, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and independents representing rrr‘Cow slaughter a State subject’rrrPANAJI: President of BJP, Amit Shah, said that ban on cow slaughter is a state subject and so there cannot be a country-wide ban on it. rShah was responding to a participant during an interactive session organised by BJP in Panaji. He is on a two-day visit to the State. rShah also said, “Cow slaughter was banned in Goa since 1978. It has been banned during the time Congress was ruling the State as well. But, no one asked Congress about it.” He further said that BJP’s policy, since its inception, was not to govern basis of religion. He continued, “Every citizen should be seen as a citizen, whether he belongs to majority community or minority community. rShah also said that rPrime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision is to bring development to everyone in the country, including rrDon’t come to Goa if you do not rlike peace, says FrancisrrrrPANAJI: Senior BJP leader and Urban Development Minister Francis D’Souza has said that people should not come to Goa, if they don’t like communal harmony. rSpeaking to media persons on the sidelines of a BJP function, he said, “Those who do not like communal harmony, should not come to Goa. This applies to everybody those who do not like communal harmony in Goa.