Says Congress used minorities only during elections
the goan I network
PANAJI
Following his entry into the Goa Forward Party, the co-accused in Goa Cricket Association misappropriation case Akbar Mulla appealed to Muslim minorities in Panaji
and Valpoi to vote for BJP in the upcoming by-polls on August 23.
Mulla, who worked for the Congress during the last 40 years accused the party of using minorities only during elections. "Congress doesn't want to get any new
leaders and give any opportunity to the minorities," he added.
He appealed to Muslim voters in Panaji and Valpoi to vote for Parrikar and Vishwajit in the coming by-elections.
Stating that there is no future for Congress in Goa, he said, "By the end of the five-year term Congress will be left with only five MLAs. Soon GF will be a prominent party in Goan politics."
Speaking earlier, GF Party President Vijai Sardesai said, "Goa is going through a political climate change. Normally it is used in the context of degradation of the environment. But this political climate change is for the better. It is on account of Goa Forward that certain things are happening and people are uniting under a movement for Goem, Goemkar and Goemkarponn."
Welcoming Mulla in GF, Sardesai said, "We welcome the erstwhile vice-president of GPCC and the president of the All Goa Muslim Jamaats, Akbar Mulla, into GF. He has worked as a loyal Congress worker for the last 40 years. The Congress cadre today feels that party uses people only for the limited purpose of elections. Otherwise it is a private limited company."
Sardesai also stated that some proactive panchayat bodies in the State will join GF after Ganesh Chaturthi. "There are many local bodies in North as well as South Goa which are keen to join the movement. We have hitherto not entered into local politics because we don't want to vitiate it with political interfere at the grassroots level. But now there are some proactive panchayat bodies which after Ganesh Chaturthi will start joining GF. They have a programme to take their areas forward. They feel we can be the right link with the government which will give support in development as well as to promote Goemkarponn in their respective constituencies," he said.
‘Have strong support base within CLP'
Sardesai said he does not want to split the Congress any further. "I have said it on the Floor of the House that we have a very strong support base within the Congress Legislature Party. Many of our colleagues are MLAs of the Congress party and they would be willing to be with us," he said.
"But we have given a solemn assurance to the people of Goa and to the Congress party that we will not split it further because we don't want any more by-elections to paralyse development of the State," he said.
Vijai gives clean chit to Mulla
Giving a clean chit to Akbar Mulla in the GCA misappropriation case, Vijai Sardesai said that Mulla's signatures were forged. "There have been reports from a forensic lab which state that the signature was not his. False allegations were made against him. This will be proved soon. This is a vindication of his stand that he is innocent," Vijai said .
