Sardinha appeals for support, says will work for development

the goan I network | MARCH 26, 2019, 06:38 PM IST


MARGAO

With Congress High Command endorsing veteran Congressman Francisco Sardinha’s candidature for the South Goa seat over Mahila Congress chief Pratima Coutinho, the former three-time MP has appealed to the voters, party workers, MLAs and well wishers to support him in the April 23 Lok sabha election.

Expressing happiness over the Congress party’s decision, Sardinha thanked Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and his well wishers, MLAs and all those who tried in whatever they could to see that he is nominated for the South Goa seat.

He made a fervent plea to all his friends, well wishers and voters, who did not have the opportunity to vote for him in the last election. “I need the support of everyone so that the Congress gets one more seat,” he said, while assuring that that he would work for the development of Goa, the South Goa constituency and Goa at large.

Speaking to the Goan after the Congress high command announced candidates for the two Lok Sabha seats, Sardinha said he would kick-start his campaign for the South Goa seat from Tuesday.   

When asked whether the time constraint will come in the way of reaching out to the entire constituency with less than a month to go for the election, Sardinha said, “There’s time constraint. But, I am sure that people of the constituency, my friends and well wishers, besides MLAs and party workers will all work from me and give victory for the Congress candidate.”   

The former three-time MP had never lost a Lok Sabha election in his long political career spanning around four decades. Sardinha had first won the Lok Sabha election in 1998 after he emerged victorious by warding a spirited challenge from the UGDP and the BJP. He was nominated for the 2007 bypoll for the South Goa Lok Sabha seat and emerged victorious with ease and got re-elected again in the 2009 election.   

Though he was a front runner for the Congress ticket for the South Goa seat, the Congress had denied the ticket to Sardinha at the eleventh hour by giving the ticket to Reginaldo Lourenco in the 2014 election, which the latter lost to the BJP.

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