MARGAO
The birthday celebrations of Congress-turned-BJP Nuvem MLA and Salcete's lone Minister, Aleixo Sequeira were literally converted into an election meeting of the BJP South Goa candidate Pallavi Dempo with the 'birthday boy' promising around 700 housing plots to the needy from the ST and economically weaker sections and to legalise the banned bullfights in the State.
Sequeira made a fervent plea to the people of Nuvem to rally behind the BJP and vote for the party candidate in the May 7 Lok Sabha polls to strengthen the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.
Chief Minister Sawant, who attended the birthday celebration, told the gathering that the Nuvem MLA has already identified Comunidade land in the constituency for the development of plots for needy persons. Supporting the Nuvem MLA’s development plans, the Chief Minister said the plots will be allotted only to the Niz Goemkars staying in the State for ages.
BJP leaders, including MLA Sankalp Amonkar, ex-South Goa MP Narendra Sawaikar, and others also attended the birthday celebrations.
Lashing out at the Congress for seeking votes by dividing the people on religious and caste lines, the Chief Minister said the Congress has no developmental agenda to go to the people.
In his address, Aleixo said he joined the BJP in 2022 with the sole purpose of fulfilling the promises made to the people of Nuvem in his election. “I have not gone to the BJP to make money, but for the development of the constituency and the people,” he said.
Pointing out that the BJP South Goa candidate Pallavi Dempo hails from Salcete and is a daughter of Margao, Sequeira said Pallavi was born and brought up in Margao having done her schooling and college in Margao.
While promising to distribute around 700 housing plots in the Nuvem constituency, Aleixo appealed to the people to support him and the Chief Minister for the implementation of schemes in the constituency.
He publicly requested the Chief Minister to explore the possibility of legalising the banned dhirios in the State by taking up the matter with the central government.
