On the sidelines of the Assonora Premier League, Goa Forward Party President Vijai Sardesai spoke to journalists saying that “Opposition unity is much needed to defeat the Anti-Goemkar government led by Pramod Sawant.” Sardesai said that he isn’t a front runner for Chief Minister and will work his best to form a united political opposition to send the BJP government home. Speaking on the Zilla Panchayat elections, Vijai said “the results clearly indicate that few congress leaders had participated in match fixing with BJP. Sardesai further said that Goa Forward Party took a decision not to contest on Zilla Panchayat elections as it considered it to be an inconsequential election. Sardesai said that “Pramod Sawant is celebrating 60th Goa Liberation day by spending 100Cr by bringing in artists from outside Goa, but he allocated peanuts for the development work to be carried out by the Zilla Panchayat in the state.” Sardesai also stated that the party’s removal from the government was for Pramod Sawant to facilitate extra coal transport & allow railway double tracking. Sardesai said that the Goa Forward was a pressure lobby within government & they got rid of us to expedite the sale of Goa on a fast track.
The Goa Forward Chief said that the party would surely contest civic polls if held on party lines. Sardesai said “let the government decide whether they want to hold the municipality elections on party lines. We are ready to fight on party lines.” Vijai highlighted that Goa Forward has always sought to unite and promote all the communities together. He said “we have made two Bahujan Samaj MLAs Ministers even before they could take oath as MLAs and noted that the Margao Municipality never had a Bhandari as a Chairperson, until the Party promoted Pooja Naik to be Goa’s youngest female candidate to chair the Margao municipality. Sardesai said that Goa Forward Party will give due representation to all the communities in Goa pointing to Kavita Kandolkar as the candidate for Tivim constituency.
Vijai Sardesai stated that currently the various communities, NGOs, and opposition political parties are fighting independently against the government’s actions over double tracking, coal handling, expansion of MPT, Mollem forest destruction, and Mhadei. Sardesai suggested that “why don’t we all join hands together in the interest of the state, if all are against these issues? The farmers in North India have shaken the majority govt led by Narendra Modi by putting up a united front. Why cannot there be a unity in Goa?”
Sardesai said that “we have to be united! As the people’s political and social representatives this is our moral responsibility to preserve our democracy. We must unite to strengthen our voices, irrespective if we are Congress, AAP, or any other party. If you believe in fighting for the defense of Goa’s people, culture, heritage, environment and youth – I am opening my arms to you to unite.” The GFP Chief further said that “as Team Goa, we can defeat Team BJP. This is our final shot to Save Goa Now. This is a penalty shootout situation. We must focus all our energy, all our determination and all our willpower to get this Goal right. This is a final match for all Goemkars and united together we can win it.”
Sardesai hesitated to comment on the internal structure of the Congress Party but mentioned that as a former Congress member he feels bad to see the current state of congress in Goa, “as my political birth was from the Congress. I was the youth congress President and also served as General Secretary of GPCC for many years.”
When reporters questioned Sardesai on the trust deficit against the Goa Forward Party, Sardesai replied saying “that it’s a mindset of a selective few who hobby to target Goa Forward.” He said that “if there was trust deficit why did the people of Colvale ZP constituency give Kavita Kandolkar a comprehensive victory with a lead of 2079 votes? If there is a trust deficit against Goa Forward Party Everyone in Goa knew that Kavita’s husband is Kiran Kandolkar who has joined Goa Forward and is the working president of the party and therefore she should have lost the election argued Sardesai.