MARGAO
Blame it on the neglect of the rank and file or otherwise, the Congress party saw the exit of party leaders in Fatorda when the Fatorda Block Congress Committee Chief Piedade Norohna along with party 2017 candidate Joseph Silva and others embraced the BJP on Tuesday.
While Piedade and Joseph pointed out that Congress leaders did not support the local leaders and rank and file, BJP state president Sadanand Shet Tanavade said that Opposition leader Digambar Kamat and Goa Forward Chief Vijai Sardesai had joined hands to fight the Margao Municipal election for their selfish interest, and not in the interest of the workers.
Saying that BJP’s march towards victory in Fatorda has already begun, Tanavade asserted that Sardesai will not be able to stop the ruling party from regaining Fatorda in 2022.
Piedade Norohna, Joseph Silva, Adv Millie Andrade along with former Councilor Livramenta Barretto, all hailing from the Scheduled Tribe community along with supporters embraced the BJP along with others in the presence of Tanavade, former two-time Fatorda MLA Damu Naik, BJP-backed Councilors Milagrina Gomes, Camilo Barretto, Sadanand Naik, Babita Naik and others.
Both Piedade and Joseph pointed out that the party did not support them to take the Congress forward in Fatorda.
Piedade recalled how the party had given the ticket to Joseph Silva in 2017 just 10 minutes before the election process could end, indicating that the party leaders were not serious in strengthening the party.
“Barring South Goa MP, Francisco Sardinha, none of the other party leaders helped the local Congress leaders and workers to build the party in Fatorda. There was no point in staying with a party which had no interest in the constituency. They only used the workers and no leader came forward to help us”, Piedade said, adding that she has joined the BJP because of Damu.
Both Piedade and Joseph showered praises on BJP leader Damu for his simplicity and accessibility, saying the former two-time MLA had never discriminated against them though they were in the Congress. Joseph has vowed to work to get Damu elected in the 2022 election.
In his address, Damu said Piedade, Joseph, Livramenta and Adv Millie are grassroot workers have support in their respective wards. Playing the ST card, Damu said the incumbent MLA Vijai Sardesai has only used the community for his vested interests. “Let Vijai tell how many jobs he had given to the ST youth during his tenure as MLA for 10 years”, he challenged.
