Rupesh Samant
Panaji, Apr 4: Congress’ Goa Chief Girish Chodankar who is contesting on party’s ticket from North Goa seat has said that he prefers beginning his campaign by worshipping mother nature, than the God.
Chodankar who is pitted against BJP’s four times MP Shripad Naik in North Goa Parliamentary seat this week began his campaign by invoking blessings of River Mandovi.
Mandovi river originates in Karnataka and runs through Goa to meet Arabian Sea near Panaji.
“I disagree with the fashion adopted by few of the politicians to visit temples during election campaign and then flash the pictures through social media or mainstream channels or newspapers. Your belief is completely your personal matter, it should not be used for garnering votes,” said Chodankar, who is also heading Goa Pradesh Congress Committee.
In a unique way, this week, the Congress leader invited heads of Hindu, Muslim and Christian Religion at Ribandar village, in Panaji Assembly Constituency, and invoked blessing of River Mandovi.
“River Mandovi is our mother. It is a nature. We cannot survive, if our nature does not survive. That is why praying to her first,” he said.
Chodankar accused the powers in State and Centre of constantly overexploiting and abusing River Mandovi.
Goa and Karnataka has entered into a disagreement over sharing of Mandovi River water.
The 50-year-old Congress leader would be taking against Naik who has represented North Goa Constituency uninterrupted for 20 years.
The party had fielded its stalwart leader and former Chief Minister Ravi Naik against Shripad Naik during 2014 elections, but the latter managed to win with a margin of over one lakh votes.
Traditionally, Indian National Congress and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party have been holding reigns in this Parliamentary constituency since the time this territory was liberated from Portuguese rule in the year 1961.
Both the parties had their candidates getting elected in this Parliamentary constituency till the elections of 1999 when BJP candidate Shripad Naik won. He has been winning in this constituency since then.