Team Goemkarponn
CHICALIM: In a notable political development in Mormugao, former Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) chairperson Leo Rodrigues and former vice-chairperson Ramchandra Kamat, both longtime BJP supporters and associates of former minister Milind Naik, publicly extended their support to the Congress-led ‘Goy Rakhonn Yatra’ at Chicalim on Friday evening.
The two former municipal leaders attended the rally and voiced their dissatisfaction with the BJP government in Goa, urging voters to bring about a change in government in the 2027 Assembly elections.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the yatra, Rodrigues, who said he had supported the BJP for two decades, expressed disappointment over the party’s governance in the state. He said the Goy Rakhonn Yatra had struck a chord with the public by raising concerns over the alleged exploitation of Goa and the need to protect its identity.
“I have been a staunch supporter and member of the BJP for two decades. Back when Congress was in power, I genuinely believed the BJP would bring positive change. However, over the last 15 years, the BJP has gone from bad to worse,” Rodrigues said.
He criticised Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Town and Country Planning Minister Vishwajit Rane, accusing the state leadership of damaging Goa through its policies and administration.
Rodrigues said public frustration was growing and called on citizens to demand a change in government and elect an administration that would respond to their concerns.
Former MMC vice-chairperson Ramchandra Kamat echoed similar sentiments, stating that public dissatisfaction had intensified over what he described as development pursued at the expense of local interests.
“People are frustrated to the core because the government has pushed things to the extreme under the guise of development. While I still respect the central leadership, the local BJP leaders in Goa urgently need to be sent home,” Kamat said.
Calling for a change in governance, Kamat added that the BJP should spend five years in opposition.
The public support extended by the two former municipal office-bearers to the Congress campaign comes as political activity gathers pace ahead of the 2027 Goa Assembly elections. Their criticism of the state BJP leadership highlights the discontent they say exists among sections of the party’s longtime supporters in the Mormugao region.
The Goy Rakhonn Yatra, organised by Congress to highlight issues concerning Goa’s identity, environment and governance, has become a platform for the opposition to target the ruling BJP and mobilise public support across the state.
