Stating that the BJP has committed political suicide by inducting a ‘Gaddar’ into the cabinet, Goa Congress Chief Amit Patkar on Monday expressed the confidence that the people will teach the saffron party a lesson by defeating its candidates in the Lok Sabha elections. He was reacting to the induction of Congress turncoat Aleixo Sequeira into the cabinet by the BJP-led state government.
He was reacting to the induction of Congress turncoat Aleixo Sequeira into the cabinet by the BJP-led state government.
On September 14 last year, Sequeira, along with former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, Michael Lobo, Delilah Lobo, Kedar Naik, Sankalp Amonkar, Rajesh Faldesai and Rudolf Fernandes had joined the BJP, reducing the Congress to three MLAs in the 40-member Assembly. “This (induction) is political suicide by the BJP. They have shown that they were trying to finish the opposition and finish democracy. People will teach them a lesson by showing the door to the BJP candidates in the Lok Sabha elections,” Patkar said. “Last year when these eight gaddars (traitors) had joined the BJP, we had told the people that they have betrayed the Congress and the people of the state for their benefit. Yesterday (after inducting Sequeira into the cabinet) it was proved that the BJP was the mastermind of these defections,” Patkar said.
“After joining the BJP, these defectors were saying that they took the step for the development of their constituencies. However Sequeira on Sunday said that inducting him was the first step in the commitment made by the BJP. This also proves that they joined the BJP after taking commitments,” he pointed out.
Alleging that the BJP purposely engineered the split in the Congress to stifle the opposition, Patkar said the “BJP had 20 MLAs and had the support of five more MLAs, then what was the need to split the opposition. This means that they don’t want an opposition. These defectors were lured by offering ‘Khokas’ (money) and commitments to join the BJP. This was proved yesterday (Sunday),”Patkar claimed, adding that there is a rumour that two more defectors will be inducted into the cabinet.
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