Goa Forward MLAs meet Mamata

NT NETWORK

Panaji

Goa Forward Party president and Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai, along with his party’s legislators and senior office bearers, called on West Bengal Chief Minister and chairperson of All India Trinamool Congress Mamata Banerjee on Saturday at the International Centre, Goa at Dona Paula and held lengthy discussions on political issues pertaining to Goa.

Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party’s (MGP) senior legislator Ramakrishna ‘Sudin’ Dhavalikar, along with party functionaries, besides Independent MLA Rohan Khaunte and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Churchill Alemao had met Banerjee on Friday.

Sardesai said Banerjee is a tall leader of India and a symbol of regional pride. “We had come to meet her at her instance, to listen to what she had to say. We talked about the political situation in Goa and the focus necessary to defeat BJP. I welcomed her statement yesterday on her willingness to align with parties that oppose the BJP. I’ve been talking of Team Goa for two years now and I have said many times that all like-minded parties must unite to overcome the muscle power and money power, which will be on display by the BJP,” he said.

Sardesai said Mamata understands the urgent need for unity in Goa and added that they have some common ground in that regard. “We have to realise that the people of Goa want Sawant and his gang out. That’s the public sentiment. We as political parties have to find a way of fulfilling people’s desires. The people have told us what they want. It’s our job now to figure out how to deliver it to them. We cannot fail them,” he said.

Stating that people’s wishes can be fulfilled only with Opposition unity,

The GFP chief further said that political strategist Prashant Kishore had said that one out of three people will vote for BJP. “This has been exactly my point. If we make sure that the other two votes are together, we can defeat BJP. All parties that are serious of this have to keep their differences and egos aside and come together,” he maintained.

Sardesai informed that his party has put forward its view and their reading of the ground situation. “She (Mamata) knows that as a party we have been relentlessly putting BJP on the back foot by exposing their misdeeds both, in the assembly and outside. We have taken the Sawant government to task like no other party. Yet, we have gone out of our way to take the initiative for unity but we haven’t seen any urgent or serious moves from others,” he noted.

The Fatorda MLA observed that the more parties procrastinate and play around, the more the people will get frustrated and more the chances of BJP returning to power. “Our unity efforts have been scoffed at and ignored but we are determined to create a formidable force to face the elections for the sake of Goa. As Goa’s only regionalistic party, we will never take a decision that goes against the wishes of Goemkars or the interests of Goa; I give my word,” he said.

The former deputy chief minister said, “Our assessment is that however big and popular parties think themselves to be, no single party can make sure of a BJP defeat. It’s all just bravado and people know that.” He added that the party will welcome all backing from all quarters to defeat the corrupt and communal regime. “We will discuss within the party what has been discussed and then go forward,” Sardesai said.

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