Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: A day after resigning as the MLA, two-time BJP MLA from Vasco, Carlos Almeida, joined the Congress party in the presence of CLP leader Digambar Kamat, Congress Goa Desk In-Charge Dinesh Gundu Rao, GPCC President Girish Chodankar.
Almeida had resigned as MLA and a member of the BJP yesterday morning. He was rumoured to join the Trinamool Congress. But sources said he decided against that and chose Congress.
“I have joined the Congress today; I held a meeting with my supporters and well-wishers, and they have given me the approval to join the Congress,” he said
He said that he was being sidelined by the BJP, so he had to take this decision.
“BJP has lost its direction in Goa after former BJP Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s demise,” said Almeida after joining Congress.
He further said that Congress is a good party in the long run and is a secular party. He also claimed the BJP has lost its charm.
“People of Vasco are not happy with the BJP. We have to work as a team in Mormugao and win all the 4 seats for Congress,” he added.
Carlos Almeida is the second Bharatiya Janata Party MLA to submit his resignation ahead of the polls.
Earlier, a few days ago, Alina Saldanha resigned from BJP to join teh Aam Aadmi Party.
“BJP doesn’t want me. They have forced me to go out. They say I am sick and not capable of winning elections; Satish Dhond and Deepak Naik have told me that the ticket is not for me but for Daji Salkar,” he yesterday said.
He also said that BJP has deliberately kept development in Vasco behind and given corrupt people entry into the party.
“I had filed a case against Daji for encroachment of Communidade land, and now I am being told to work under him,” he said.
GPCC President Girish Chodankar said that the BJP had deliberately sidelined Almeida.
“The BJP does not want a clean and honest person like Carlos Almeida, who is hard working. They want corrupt people,” he said.
Chodankar said with Almeida, Captain Viriato Fernandes and Sankalp Amonkar, Congress will now win all four seats in Mormugao.
Before Almeida, Luizinho Falerio, Ravi Naik, Aleixo Reginaldo Lorenko (all from Congress), Jayesh Salgaonkar (Goa Forward Party), Rohan Khaunte (Independent) and Alina Saldanha (BJP) resigned from the 40-member House.
