the goan I network
MARGAO
Seeking re-election from South Goa Lok Sabha constituency in 2019, sitting MP Narendra Sawaikar on Sunday flaunted his report card, which included a passport office, bridges and educational institutions in his home constituency.
The MP, however, was literally found struggling with the Centre’s delay in the resumption of mining operations, as he sought to attribute the ban to the Supreme Court judgement
Kick starting his election campaign in the Curtorim assembly segment on Sunday after visiting the Siddhivinayak Temple at the Housing Board, Sawaikar exuded confidence of garnering support of the people of South Goa in his favour.
“Last five years have witnessed a number of projects coming into South Goa. We have inaugurated a passport office and have initiated work on the Zuari and other bridges. The mobile connectivity has improved and stress has been laid on educational institutions. People of South Goa can see the development that has been ushered in the constituency in the last five years,” he told the media on his campaign trail.
The sitting MP, however, had to explain at length on the mining imbroglio as it’s now over a year since the activity came to a halt. Aware that hundreds, if not thousands of mining dependent families are in trouble due to the mining ban, the MP sought to blame the Supreme Court judgement for the current crisis. “The mining crisis is a creation of the judgement of the Supreme Court, but our government at the Centre and in Goa have made attempts to find a way out to resolve the issues and give relief to the mining dependents,” he said.
Sawaikar added: “The Centre has now filed an application in the Supreme Court for early hearing of a petition pending in the court for the last several years. The Supreme Court has agreed for a hearing. I am confident that a solution will be found to the issue within the legal framework.”
Curtorim assembly segment was the ninth segment the sitting BJP MP has visited since the Election Commission had announced elections for the two Goa Lok Sabha seats last Sunday. “I intend to cover the remaining assembly segments in the next four to five days,” he added.
To a question, he said the party leaders are on the job to prepare the election manifesto, adding that it will be in public domain within the next few days. Saying that development will be the main agenda, Sawaikar said the manifesto will focus on areas such as education, tourism and mining.
He thanked the party leadership in Delhi for re-nominating him, saying “this only goes to show that the party leadership has reposed its faith and trust in me and in my performance in the last five years”.
