PANJIM: During a video conference between the Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party National Convener Arvind Kejriwal and the Goa unit of the party, the AAP chief exhorted his party’s state unit to rise to the occasion and save the state of Goa from the immoral politics of the Congress and the BJP.
The comments were made in the backdrop of the precipitation of the political crisis in the Congress party in Rajasthan, after the open rebellion of some Congress MLAs led by Sachin Pilot. A similar breakdown in Congress happened with a rebellion by another young Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia which led to the Congress government in MP collapsing.
The discussion in the call focused on the complete collapse of the Congress party in the state and across the country. Convener of the Goa State unit of the party Elvis Gomes said,
“It appears that the Congress party has totally collapsed nationally and that there is no life left in the Congress party. There is a serious leadership vacuum in the Congress and the tomorale of Congress cadre and voters is at rock bottom. On the other hand, the BJP is fooling people to get votes and if they don’t manage to get votes then they buy lawmakers post election. The situation is such that Congress party is available for sale and the BJP is buying them out state after state. Democracy in India has taken a serious hit because of political horse trading.”
Apprising the Delhi CM of the political situation in Goa, Gomes said, “Goa Congress is the worst state unit of the Congress in the country. It is not that some MLAs, or some leaders got sold out to the ruling BJP. In Goa, Congress had 18 MLAs out of which 13 MLAs have already switched to the BJP. Only 5 MLAs remain, 4 of whom are ex-CMs hoping to become CM again some day. No one is left to raise the people’s voice within the Assembly.”
“In the 2017 Assembly election, the people of Goa were prepared to defeat the BJP and bring an AAP government. But at the last minute Congress managed to scare people that if they vote for AAP, BJP will return to power. The tragedy is that despite the people of Goa trusting Congress, they could not form the government, and eventually merged entirely with the BJP. People are now completely frustrated with the dirty politics in the state,” he added.
Responding to the feedback given by the state unit, CM Kejriwal said, “We are in a historic moment right now where Congress has abdicated its role as the opposition in Goa and got merged into the ruling BJP. People have huge expectations from AAP in this scenario and AAP must rise to the occasion and meet people’s expectations. We have to work harder and become the people’s voice. People are watching us with hope and want to see the kind of development model we have showcased in Delhi.”
Sharing the party’s plan to corner the BJP government in the state, Valmiki Naik said, “All parties have got together and declared there will be no monsoon session of the Goa Assembly. The BJP is shielding itself from any questioning over its disastrous Covid response. People are suffering from the lack of employment and the economic outlook is very bleak. But instead of providing financial assistance to people in times of need, the government is spending money on useless things. Goa govt’s Budget is Rs 20,000 crore and its public debt is also Rs 20,000 crore. All these questions should have been asked by Congress in the Assembly. But they are completely missing in action.”
