Panaji: On the eve of the Panaji byelections, the Congress once again appealed to Panaji voters: “You gave 20 years to the BJP, give us only two years in the Goa legislative assembly.” Briefing the media, Congress state president Luizinho Faleiro, along with Congress candidate Surendra Furtado, said that voters should vote for Congress because “Furtado has passion to work for the beautiful city of Panaji”.

Faleiro said that as Panaji mayor, Furtado had obtained 314crore for Panaji’s development from the UPA2 government in Delhi. This money was at the disposal of the state government but despite Manohar Parrikar, the local MLA being the chairman of the Goa state infrastructure development corporation and also the chief minister, he failed to utilize the money. “Will you vote for someone who failed to utilize funds or for the person who obtained the funds?” Faleiro asked.

Faleiro said that during the month-long house-to-house campaign, they had seen some negatives and some positives. The negatives include appaling conditions in the city where some families do not even have toilet facilities for their homes. The positive is that most people, including staunch BJP supporters, are looking at the Congress party and its candidate with hope. Said Faleiro, “The people of Panaji are asking us. If the former MLA could not do anything in five terms, how will his personal assistant do it now?”

