Panaji, Aug 22 (TOI): Goa Suraksha Manch's candidate for the Panaji bypoll Anand Shirodkar, on Monday claimed there was an undercurrent against chief minister Manohar Parrikar in the constituency, and that the actual fight for the seat was between the GSM and the Congress only.
At a meeting held at Azad Maidan following the GSM's final campaign rally in Panaji, Shirodkar alleged that Parrikar had actually stated that he would return to the Centre as defence minister if he lost the Panaji byelection. The BJP had recently lodged a complaint with the crime branch and the Election Commission of India against a fake news website that carried a false story on the same subject.
"Parrikar filed the complaint later to prove that he had not made the statement. There is an undercurrent against Parrikar in Panaji. From my interaction with the voters, I have seen that they will vote for anyone but Parrikar this time," Shirodkar said.
The GSM candidate also said Parrikar failed to develop even a small constituency such as Panaji over the last 23 years as its legislator.
Party founder and Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch convener Subhash Velingkar, said there was no point rechoosing an MLA who had ample opportunity for over two decades, but could not do much for Panaji.
"The bypoll for Panaji will not be a battle of equals, as Parrikar has the entire government machinery working for him. Voters who are government servants, are being threatened in different ways," Velingkar alleged.
He said the GSM candidate should be elected to allow Goans to at least have a legitimate opposition to the ruling disposition in the assembly.
Uday Bhembre, a member of the GSM, said Parrikar presently holds close to 22 portfolios as chief minister and has not been able to do justice to any of them.
"Today, Parrikar is not the strong chief minister he was in 2012. He is like a manequin. If Vijai Sardesai calls a mango tree a coconut tree, the chief minister will agree today," said Bhembre, even as he urged voters of the Panaji constituency to elect a 'principled' candidate like Shirodkar.