GSM slams Parrikar, says BJP and Congress the same

PANAJI: Goa Suraksha Manch (

GSM

) on Monday said that BJP president Vinay Tendulkar’s statement that Congress candidate for Panaji bypoll Atanasio Monserrate had first approached BJP for a ticket, and Monserrate in turn stating that he had spoken to BJP organisational secretary Satish Dhond, is proof that BJP and Congress are one and the same. A vote for either party’s candidate in Panaji will mean voting for the longstanding “political setting” between the two, it said.


“Both BJP and Congress are hand-in-glove. Babush (Monserrate) says he spoke to Dhond, who is the organisational secretary of BJP. See how deep their connections are. Yesterday’s statements make it very clear,” said Mahesh Mhambrey of GSM, whose candidate, Subhash

Velingkar

, is contesting the bypolls.

He said that former Goa CM Manohar Parrikar was touted as a visionary leader and ‘vikas purush’, but failed to provide basic infrastructure to his constituency, Panaji, for 25 years.

“In 2012, this visionary leader said Panaji would get 12 hours water supply, which is yet to become a reality. Electricity in the capital city still fluctuates everyday. On August 28, 2017, this vikas purush said that he would form a committee of IAS officers to resolve all issues of Panaji. At least I am not aware of such a committee having been formed till date,” said Mhambrey.

He said that GSM is targetting 11,000 votes and expects Velingkar to win by a margin of 2,500.

“The fight is between GSM and Congress candidate. We say Congress candidate because BJP and Congress candidate is the same. Velingkar, on the other hand, is a statesman who thinks of the next generation, not a politician who thinks of the next five years,” said Mhambrey.