Scams to vikas to fish: Goans to choose final 40 tomorrow

of AAP and the three-party alliance of Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, Goa Suraksha Manch and Shiv Sena.

In the south, Independent and former MLA Vijay Sardesai from Goa Forward is seen as an important gamechanger. To the north in the state’s capital, another old hand, former minister and Independent candidate Babush (Atanasio) Monserrate, and his United Goans Party, may disturb the poll math.

The BJP has chosen development as its main pitch, promising Rs 15,000 crore-backed infrastructure projects for employment creation and tourism. The Congress is looking to sell a “refocus towards the regional plan” and a review of the investment board. AAP has called for ecological and environmental priorities to be placed along with job opportunities.

On Thursday, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh released what the party called a “chargesheet of corruption charges against (former Goa CM and Union Defence Minister) Manohar Parrikar and BJP MLAS from the state.

Listing 26 “scams”, Singh alleged, “PM says na khaunga na khaane dunga (The PM says I will not be corrupt and won’t let others be corrupt). If you see the crime record of the BJP government in the last five years, which we have been exposing, they have not responded to our charges. The institution of Lokayukta has not been activated. The BJP government in Goa has been involved in crony capitalism. One of the major reasons why Parrikar would not like to leave Goa... is because for him, Goa is a goose that lays the golden egg.” However, the party did not produce any proof to substantiate the allegations.

At the BJP office, Parrikar and Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar addressed a press conference together, with the former doing all the talking. “We have support from all sections of society, especially youth and women. People have expressed satisfaction with the development work and social sector schemes, which we initiated in these five years.”

Projecting a “two-third people’s mandate” for the BJP, Parrikar dismissed the Congress’s allegations, saying, “It’s too late. With just two days to the election, this doesn’t need an answer.” Taking a dig at Digvijaya Singh, Parrikar said, “He does not know Goa. He should eat fish again.”

Speaking about fish, AAP chose to end its door-to-door campaign by adding one more assurance to its 95-point manifesto — “Fish for All”. AAP has promised staple fish varieties at affordable prices for Goan families through a scheme involving a fishermen’s cooperative and a state-of-art supply chain.

Meanwhile, Bhartiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch leader Subhash Velingkar chose to push the language agenda one last time. “They are spreading the false fear that English is the only language that gives employment. Our fight for the language is a continuous andolan. And, we will fight till the state government stops giving grants to English-medium schools,” he said.

The Shiv Sena, which is looking to win at least two seats, saw Uddhav Thackeray holding a combined press meet with “poll partners”. “In Maharashtra, they used us and when they won, they broke ties. Not one promise has been fulfilled. Here, too, it’s the same pattern,” he said.

What could also be worrying the BJP this time, is that the Church no longer appears comfortable with the party. Christians form 25 per cent of Goa’s population and most of them are Catholics. Church leaders have privately spoken about “the state government’s apathy towards the poor and the downtrodden”.

This time, the Goa campaign relied heavily on star campaigners, with BJP lining up its president Amit Shah; Union ministers Nitin Gadkari, Smriti Irani and Venkaiah Naidu; and neighbouring Maharashtra’s Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to pitch “infrastructure”, “stable governance” and the “surgical strikes” across the LOC.

The Congress got its top leaders for the last leg, including Sachin Pilot and Oscar Fernandes, before Rahul Gandhi weighed in on January 30.

On February 4, the state will also see many firsts. Though it has not gone down well with everyone, the electoral office will be gifting pink teddy bears to first-time women voters. Besides, one polling station will be completely manned by differently abled people.