In Saamana, Shiv Sena’s surprise attack on Mamata Banerjee’s TMC over Goa polls

Slamming Trinamool Congress (TMC) over its attempt to poach Congress leaders in Goa, Shiv Sena has said that it will benefit Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and it should not have been the stand of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee. The party has also alleged that the TMC and Aam Admi Party (AAP) were using money to woo the voters and poach the established leaders in Goa.

In his weekly column Rokhthok in party mouthpiece Saamana, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said that it was against the political stand of TMC chief Mamata Banerjee to resolve to finish Congress in Goa. Raut said that uprooting the grand old party in the country could be the dream of the BJP, but someone like Banerjee who is fighting against the ruling party, should not have taken such a stand. He said that ultimately, the TMC politics in Goa will help the BJP.

“The Congress strength in Goa has reduced to 2 from 17, owing to the lack of strong leadership in the poll-bound state. There is no national stance taken in the state-level elections. Goa never had relevance in Delhi politics. As a result, outsiders, TMC and AAP, have now been talking about the welfare of the sons of the soil. Both parties have been eyeing Christian votes in Goa, but the community will stand by the Congress. A few Congress rebels who joined BJP are now on their way back to the old party after they realised that they will not get the tickets. But Congress has decided not to entertain the traitors again in the party,” Raut said.

While questioning the source of funds used in the Goa elections by TMC, Raut has also slammed the BJP for its politics of misuse of the money power to retain the state. “BJP has ruled Goa for last 10 years, but it could not attain the majority to retain the power. The party has been indulging in ‘buying out’ legislators from other parties after the elections. I met people who are damn sure that the ruling party will not get a majority even this time. The presence of the TMC will ultimately help the BJP and sensing it politically, all efforts are being put in to create a wave for the TMC. BJP’s incumbent MLAs and ticket aspirants are history sheeters. The people involved in the trade of drugs are entering the ruling party and the chief minister Pramod Sawant is seen welcoming them,” he said.

Raut also said that no political party was talking about the issues of the local people as the industrialists, who hail from other states, are at the centre of Goa politics. He said that the people involved in the business of casinos, shipping have been controlling the politics in the state.

BJP legislator Ram Kadam, while reacting to the column, has said, “Raut should not worry about the Goa and our fate there. Instead, they should introspect why the Shiv Sena has not been able to win even a single seat in whichever state they fought elections. They should bother about their rule in Maharashtra where ‘vasuli gangs’ (extortion gangs) are active to collect money from the industrialists and where infrastructure projects such as Metro lines have come to a standstill. We will celebrate our victory in Goa by offering sweets to Sena after the assembly polls results.”