the goan I network
MARGAO
Congress candidate Francisco Sardinha officially launched his campaign in a bid to play his fourth innings as Member of Parliament representing the South Goa constituency as he filed his nomination papers before Returning Officer Ajit Roy on Tuesday, promising to be an ambassador between the state and Parliament and the country at large.
Sardinha declined to comment on the contentious Mopa airport issue, saying the matter is pending in the Supreme Court, but made it abundantly clear that the Congress will not leave the rival BJP scot-free on a host of issues, including mining, CRZ, coal transportation, river nationalization and port expansion.
GPCC President Girish Chodankar went a step further by saying the Lok Sabha election provides an opportunity for the people of South Goa to teach the BJP a lesson for forming a coalition government in 2017 against the electoral mandate.
Former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat made it point blank clear that the Congress will raise the issue of long-delayed district hospital project, saying the common man will not forgive the BJP for dragging on with the health project for the last seven years.
Interacting with the media after filing the nomination papers, Sardinha said he has no doubt that the Congress will regain the South Goa seat with the support of the MLAs, workers and the voters, promising to resolve many an issue plaguing the constituency.
That mining will form the major plank of Sardinha’s campaign became evident when Sardinha said that while mining offered livelihood for the people during the Digambar Kamat government, the BJP took way their bread and butter, pointing out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not give an appointment for the mining dependents in Delhi. Making it clear that he and the Congress party will stand by the people opposing CRZ, coal pollution and nationalisation of rivers, Sardinha said he will stand by the people and take decisions for the good of the state.
“We want port expansion, but it cannot take place at the cost of the people’s livelihood. The 50-meter CRZ is not acceptable to us. We will work out a solution,” Sardinha thundered.
Both Sardinha and Digambar reminded that the direct flight for the Haj pilgrims from Goa was started during his stint as Chief Minister with the help of the Centre.
Opposition leader Babu Kavlekar took on the BJP saying the ruling party MPs have utterly failed to address the issues plaguing Goa and its people.
“People have decided to defeat the BJP in both North and South Goa and strengthen the hands of Congress president Rahul Gandhi,” Babu added.
GPCC chief Girish Chodankar said Sardinha was one candidate who is acceptable to the people cutting across religious and party lines. “This time, we will receive the support of the mining dependents,” he said.
Chodankar tried to recall how the BJP had formed the government against the mandate of the people of South Goa is a message intended to the
people to come out and vote against the party in the coming election.
Cong senior leaders and MLAs put up an united face
MARGAO: Ahead of the April 23 election, the Congress put up an united face as senior leaders and MLAs from down South turned up as a show of solidarity with South Goa Lok Sabha candidate Francsico Sardinha, who filed his nomination papers on Tuesday.
Former Chief Minister Digmabar Kamat, who has been appointed the chairman of the Congress Campaign Committee by the All India Congress Committee, along with party MLAs from South Goa, including leader of the Opposition Babu Kavlekar, Ravi Naik, Reginaldo Lourenco, Filipe Neri Rodriues, Clafacio Dias and Wilfred D’Sa and Isidore Fernandes all turned up at the Matanhy Saldanha Administrative Complex to not only show their solidarity with the party candidate and send a strong message across the constituency that the Congress is not a divided house Taleigao MLA Jennifer Monserrate was the lone Congress MLA from the North to descend on the Collectorate when Sardinha made his presence felt to file his papers.
Three-time Curtorim MLA, Reginaldo Lourenco, also made his presence felt much before Sardinha and the Congress workers came in a procession at the complex, but soon left the venue. Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Girish Chodankar came with his dedicated band of party workers. While Goa Pradesh Mahila Congress Pratima Coutinho was conspicuous by her absence, Mahila Congress leader Savitri Kavlekar and a group of mahilas, including Swati Kerkar, who had polled 10,000-odd votes in the 2014 Lok Sabha election when she had contested on the Aam Aadmi Party banner, were present around.
South Goa District Congress chief Joe Dias and state Congress Vice-president Altinho Gomes were the prominent party leaders, who were entrusted with the task to ensure that the filing of nomination papers went off without
any problem.
