As five Congress MLAs joined the BJP-backed Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) in Meghalaya, Aam Aadmi Party Goa in-charge Atishi asked on Wednesday “How can one believe that the Goa Congress has not made a pact with the BJP?”
After losing 12 legislators, including former chief minister Mukul Sangma, the Congress was reduced to only five legislators last year in Meghalaya. Now, five of its remaining legislators have switched over to the the BJP led coalition in power.
Atishi argued that people had seen the same story by the Congress in Karnataka, Manipur, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, and now Meghalaya. Any where that the people elect Congress MLAs, those MLAs help in forming the BJP government.
Goa Congress has a history of defections, and this time as well if any Congress MLA wins, they will go to BJP and help form the BJP Govt.
“Goans have two options for the forthcoming elections — either vote for AAP and have an honest government or support BJP directly or indirectly in order to form the government. The situation is the same this time around with talk of Congress defections in every part of the state. BJP has planned a new strategy. Once Congress candidates have won their seats, they are going to join BJP”, she said.
AAP Navelim candidate Pratima Coutinho reiterated that the Congress is the B-team of the BJP. Goans were fed up with the BJP’s poor governance so they voted for the Congress in 2017 elections. Nevertheless, the Congress candidates betrayed their trust by joining the BJP.
Coutinho stated that the BJP has fielded its Avertano Furtado under the banner of Congress and that, if he won, he would join the BJP. In addition, she said that a secret agreement exists between Furtado and the BJP. When the BJP forms the government, Furtado will be offered the sports ministry.
“Avertano Furtado made a pact in 2012. He was an independent candidate and the BJP offered him the labour and fisheries ministries. He tried the same in 2017, but people voted him out. This time the BJP has put him under the Congress banner. Thus, voting for the Congress would mean supporting the BJP”, she said.
AAP Nuvem candidate Dr. Mariano Godinho said, “We discovered while canvassing in Nuvem that the people have lost hope in the Congress. Now that Michael Lobo and Delilah Lobo have joined the Congress, 1/3 of their team will join the BJP. They are all plotting a big game. Congress is all out to help the BJP. Therefore, Nuvem will not vote for Congress candidate Alex Sequiera as they do not trust him”.
