Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s proposed visit on Wednesday to poll-bound Goa has now been postponed owing to his “parliamentary commitments”.
Speaking to reporters in Panaji on Tuesday, All-India Congress Committee (AICC) spokesperson Alka Lamba said Mr. Gandhi who was scheduled to visit Goa on February 2 would now be visiting the State on February 4.
Mr. Gandhi would be putting forth the Congress party’s reaction on the Union Budget in Parliament on Wednesday and would visit Chhattisgarh the following day to attend various programmed, said Ms. Lamba. His programme in Goa remained unchanged, she said.
He is scheduled to hold a public rally in Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s constituency Sakhali (Sanquelim) and will be releasing the party’s manifesto after interacting with representatives from the tourism industry, anganwadi workers and others.
‘Political jumla’
Meanwhile, hitting out at Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s campaign address in Goa last week, State Congress chief Girish Chodankar accused the Home Minister of political jumla (hoodwinking).
Censuring Mr. Shah’s verbal attacks on the Congress and the Gandhi family, Mr. Chodankar alleged that the BJP’s pre-poll promises of resuming mining in the coastal State was “utterly hollow”.
“Mr. Shah thinks the Congress was in power in the State when mining in Goa was stopped. It was during the tenure of the late Manohar Parrikar-led BJP government in Goa that mining was halted in 2012. The BJP has been making this promise of resuming mining at the time of every single Assembly, municipal and panchayat poll since the last decade… the current BJP Chief Minister Pramod Sawant should tell the people just how many more times this announcement is going to be made,” said Mr. Chodankar.
‘Jobs being sold’
He said jobs under the present BJP government were being ‘sold’ for ₹10-30 lakhs. Students, who have had an excellent academic record, had failed in government exams, while kin and acquaintances of Ministers could secure plum jobs.
“Parents and youth are frustrated under the BJP rule… three sitting MLAs in the BJP government have independently verified the Congress’ allegations… Offer letters for jobs are handed out by Ministers illegally. The Congress will form a special commission for enquiry once it comes to power,” Mr. Chodankar said.
