SANGUEM
With Sanguem MLA Prasad Gaonkar having withdrawn his support to the State government on Wednesday, people from Sanguem are now concerned over the future of development works in Sanguem constituency during the next one-and-half year.
Gaonkar had pledged his support to the BJP government in the State ever since he was elected as independent MLA from Sanguem constituency, but decided to part ways from the ruling government following accusations by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant of Gaonkar for his alleged involvement in land issues.
According to sources, opposition leaders had been envious of several development projects which Gaonkar had proposed and initiated in recent times.
“But with Gaonkar’s withdrawal of support to the BJP government, opposition leaders will now seize this as an added advantage to push their interest to contest from Sanguem constituency in the next assembly elections,” said a source.
Incidentally, supporters from the opposition group have been vocal in their comments on various local social groups since Monday.
“Over the past few months, Gaonkar was seen working overtime and had got the government machinery active in his constituency with the help of ministers in the government.”
“he had been instrumental in resolving the 35-year-long pending issue of Selaulim evacuees after securing the support of Revenue Minister Jennifer Monserrate and WRD Minister Philip Neri Rodrigues.”
“He had also enabled the construction of a parallel bridge at Bendwada-Sanguem, which, however, came to a grinding halt after the government allegedly failed to pay the contractor,” said the source.
While this project lies in the balance, uncertainty also prevails over the work on several playgrounds in the constituency as well as the construction of a Ravindra Bhavan on irrigation department land in Sanguem.
While Gaonkar has appealed to people of his constituency, not to panic over development works in Sanguem constituency after his spat with the chief minister and top leaders from BJP, people are now concerned over the future of development projects proposed by Gaonkar.
Many in Sanguem constituency believe that the region has largely remained undeveloped as compared to development works in other constituencies across the State.
