Former ZP chief hits back at ‘BJP tag’, urges voters to reject both national parties
POWER PLAY: In a show of strength, former four-time Colva ZP member Nelly Rodrigues filed her papers as an Independent with an army of supporters after the Congress turned down her request for the ticket.
MARGAO
In a show of strength after her claim for the Colva Zilla Panchayat found no favour with the Congress, former South Goa ZP Chairperson and four-time ZP Member Nelly Rodrigues filed her nomination paper for the Colva seat on Tuesday.
After filing her papers, Nelly took pot shots at the Congress for labelling her as BJP, insisting that she had never joined or supported the BJP, but has approached the BJP government for public works.
Saying that she had supported Captain Viriato Fernandes in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Nelly wondered whether the Congress did not realise then that she was close to the BJP. Questioning claims made by Congress leaders that the Congress believes in ideology, Nelly demanded to know whether the party’s decision to nominate Sanjay Velip, the husband of BJP sitting ZP member Sanjana Velip as party candidate for the Guirdolim seat.
In fact, Nelly gave a call to the people of Goa to reject the candidates fielded by the BJP and Congress, accusing both the national parties for their failure to devolve powers to the Zilla Panchayats in Goa. “I don’t care if the Congress leaders label me as BJP, because my people have faith in me. I go to the BJP for public works and not for personal interest. It is the Congress leaders who are involved in fixing as evident by the fact that party MLAs have defected to the BJP after taking oath on the Almighty,” she said.
Betalbatim sarpanch Anthony Fernandes said the people of Majorda, Betalbatim, Colva and Seraulim will rally behind Nelly in the upcoming polls. Majorda panchayat member Creson Antao told the media that majority of the Majorda panchayat members are supporting Nelly’s candidature.
