Seeks support for candidature if nominated for seat
South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha meeting people at his residence on Sunday. Three-wheelers were distributed to the differently abled persons under his MPLAD scheme.
Photo Credits: Santosh Mirajkar
MARGAO
Even as the Congress High Command appointed South Goa Lok Sabha seat ticket contender, ex-Congress president Girish Chodankar as the in-charge of the four North Indian states, South Goa Congress MP Francisco Sardinha launched his campaign for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls on Sunday, with the four-time sitting MP seeking support for his candidature in the event the Congress leadership nominates him for the seat.
Publicly expressing his wish to seek re-election for the Lok Sabha seat for the last time in his political career spanning over four decades, the four-time Congress MP then asked the people gathered at his Curtorim residence to raise their hands if they want him to contest the coming election. As the crowd thundered with a go ahead response, Sardinha replied back saying he expects all his supporters to back him in the coming election if the party nominates him for the seat. One of his supporters pointed out that Sardinha is the only candidate who is acceptable to all people irrespective of caste, creed and religion.
“You have supported and elected me as many as four times to the Lok Sabha from South Goa. This time, I am willing to contest the election for the last time if party gives me the ticket. I want your support and backing”, he said.
Knowing that as many as three other congress leaders, including Girish Chodankar, Capt Viriato Fernandes and Elvis Gomes have unveiled plans to contest the LS polls for South Goa on the party banner, Sardinha said “I don’t say that others should not get the chance to contest. But there are other factors that need to be considered. I expect all of you to support me like in the previous elections”.
Saying his supporters had always stood behind him every time he had contested the LS polls, Sardinha said “I don’t say I know everything. Hence, I have always appealed to the people to guide me to raise the issues affecting Goans in Parliament”.
Saying he has never failed to raise Goan issues in Parliament, the MP, however, reminded the people that the MPs get the chance to speak up in Lok Sabha as per the lottery system in place.
Saying he has raised the issue of cancellation of Indian Passports of Goans who have registered their births in Portugal, with the Home Minister as well as with the External Affairs Minister, Sardinha said he is awaiting a reply from the External affairs Minister on the issue. “Those who have voted for me in my elections know what I have done and what I can do for the people of Goa”, he added.
Taking a dig at the BJP government, Sardinha reminded the Zuari bridge proposal was passed during his tenure as MP in the past, adding that the bridge could not then materialize because of issues with the contractor.
Congress leaders, including ticket contender Capt Viriato Fernandes, M K Sheikh, Moreno Rebello, Curtorim ZP member Michele Rebello were amongst the people present at Sardinha’s residence at the programme held to distribute three-wheelers to the differently abled persons under the MPLAD scheme.
