TALEIGAO/PORVORIM: Stating that the people should bring the Bharatiya Janata Party back to power in Goa, as continuity and stability of the government results in development of the state, including employment generation, Defence Minister, Manohar Parrikar on Friday said the Congress party started looting Goa, soon after the Union territory attained statehood during the late 1980s, which in turn resulted in the state having 12 chief ministers within a short span of time.
“I was the 13th chief minister and was considered an amateur by leaders of Opposition political parties, who predicted my downfall soon,” Parrikar added, pointing out that he, however followed the politics practised by the first chief minister of Goa, Daman and Diu, Dayanand Bandodkar, who believed that welfare of common people was the real essence of politics.
“Naturally, the loot of Goa stopped under the BJP regime,” he noted.
Addressing a mammoth Vijay Sankalp rally of the BJP in Taleigao constituency, the Defence Minister, without naming the former legislator of the particular constituency – Atanasio Monserrate – said that he (Monserrate) is very proficient in using black money during the elections, however, the recent demonetisation of high-value currency notes has “reduced his capacity to do so”.
Parrikar equated Monserrate and the Independent MLAs namely Vijai Sardesai and Rohan Khaunte to the jokers in the game of Rummy. “They want to hold on to power anyhow, even at the cost of becoming jokers in the game of politics,” he retorted.
Parrikar assured the residents of Taleigao adequate water supply, for which the Centre has already promised assistance to Goa.
Referring to the recent sacking of Dhavalikar brothers – Sudin and Deepak – from the state cabinet, Parrikar said that no one would be allowed to blackmail the BJP as it has 21 majority MLAs in the state legislative assembly.
“Now, at the forthcoming assembly election give us super majority and let us continue serving the people,” he stated.
The Chief Minister, Laxmikant Parsekar, speaking on the occasion said that out of the 55 years following Liberation of Goa, the BJP ruled the state for only nine years, which is 18 per cent of the total period. “However, if one prepares a list of the works done by the BJP during its short regime then 75 per cent of the developmental works in Goa have been carried out by it,” he noted, maintaining that as also most of the social welfare schemes, numbering over 100, have been implemented by the BJP.
Parsekar also informed that the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari would be arriving in Goa on December 22 to lay the foundation stone for the two phases of the work pertaining to the four-laning of NH-17 from Patradevi to Pollem.
“This work would be carried out through the central fund,” he informed.
The state BJP president, Vinay Tendulkar; the Panaji MLA, Sidharth Kunkalienkar; and the Taleigao block chief of the party, Dattaprasad Naik were also present on the occasion.
Earlier, addressing a melava at Vidya Prabodhini school, Porvorim, the Defence Minister said the BJP could take decision on the fractious Dhavalikar brothers only because it has absolute majority.
He reminded the people that before he came to power in 2012 with full majority there had been complete political instability in the state which saw many chief ministers due to infightings.
In the process development and growth of Goa suffered, he said.
But when the BJP came to power with absolute majority it managed to run the government despite paucity of funds in the government exchequer, which had been left with a “big hole” by the Kamat government.
“There had been many holes but we sealed them off without disturbing developmental works and schemes,” Parrikar said adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has told him to just inform him (Modi) about Goan projects.
He promised that while executing the four-lane highway project no house or a retaining wall from Porvorim to Bambolim would be demolished and that the project would be completed without disturbing the people.
Claiming that during his tenure as chief minister he managed to recover Rs 1800 crore from mining magnets, Parrikar said people were trying to take credit for government projects.
Parrikar said the Porvorim MLA has made enough money and now it was time to send him home and bring about a new era in Porvorim by voting a BJP candidate.