Says State and Central leadership will take decision at right time, calls for strengthening party
South Goa MP Viriato Fernandes at Benaulim for an interactive session on Saturday.
Photo Credits: Santosh Mirajkar
MARGAO
Congress South Goa MP Captain Viriato Fernandes descended on Aam Aadmi Party’s home turf of Benaulim on Saturday, but preferred to play safe as part of a strategy in true military fashion.
While Congress workers from Benaulim must have been waiting anxiously for the MP to publicly support their demand for no alliance with like-minded parties, the ex-Navy Captain said the issue of alliance will be discussed and decided by the Congress State and Central leadership at the right time in the interest of the country.
South Goa District Committee President Savio D’Silva however, has urged the workers to strengthen the party organisation in Benaulim, exuding confidence that the people of Benaulim will elect a Congress MLA in 2027. “Congress Goa Desk Secretary Dr Anjali Nimbalkar has made it clear there will not be any alliance in Goa. Benaulim Congress workers will get the candidate of their choice in 2027,” Savio added.
Speaking to the media on the side lines of his interactive session at the Maria Hall, Benaulim on Saturday, the South Goa MP said it’s too early to speak for or against alliance. “Right now, we will focus on strengthening the Congress party. The question of alliance will be discussed by the Congress Goa leadership and Delhi at the right time,” he said.
Admitting that the Congress had no MLA representing Benaulim for the last 25 years, he attributed the fate of the Congress to those who have been taking Congress votes and doing politics by sleeping with the enemy.
“In the Lok Sabha polls, the people of Benaulim have shown their support to the Congress. Benaulim is one constituency where the people have their self-respect,” he said.
Saying that the party rank and file have been told not to take the goodwill of the people for granted, Capt Viriato said he has started the exercise of interactions with the party workers and people at large in all the constituencies.
Captain Viriato’s interactive session at Benaulim assumes significance and comes against the backdrop of the demand made by Benaulim Congress workers to the party leadership that the Congress should not have any truck with the Aam Aadmi Party in the 2027 Assembly elections.
During his interaction, the South Goa MP touched upon various issues, right from the High Level Borim Bridge to the destruction of the River Sal by the government.
Some of the village sarpanchas attended the interaction and submitted their grievances to the MP, including issues plaguing the taxi operators, stray dog menace, besides proposals under the MPLAD scheme.
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