Goa polls: Congress-GFP candidates pledge to remain loyal in presence of Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during the `Goem Samwad` ahead of the Assembly elections, in Goa. Pic/PTI

All the 40 candidates of Congress and Goa Forward Party on Friday pledged to be united and to be loyal with Congress in the presence of Congress leader and MP Rahul Gandhi, said a press release.

Rahul Gandhi, on his day-long tour in Goa, had a conversation with all the candidates and wished them luck. Senior leader and election strategist P Chidambaram, leader of opposition Digambar Kamat, Goa In charge Dinesh Gundu Rao, GPCC President Girish Chodankar, Goa Forward Party president Vijai Sardesai and others were present on the occasion.

The programme was held at Goa International Centre at Dona Paula. While the Congress candidates pledged to be united and loyal with the Party, the GFP President Vijai Sardesai and his candidates Santosh Kumar Sawant and Deepak Kalangutkar, from Mayem and Mandrem respectively, pledged to remain loyal with Congress. Digambar Kamat speaking to the media persons said that candidates know that they are answerable to the people of Goa and hence no defection will take place in future from alliance parties.

"Congress is an alternative to BJP. People have fully supported us and we are forming the government with a majority. People of Goa will send BJP to home," he said.

Candidates also pledged to never support or participate in any activity that would sell Goa's identity. Girish Chodankar said that BJP ruined Goa to benefit the crony capitalist friends of Modi and Shah, however, now Congress will form the government and will protect Goa. "We are thankful that people have reposed faith in us and have supported us from the heart. I am confident that the people of Goa will bring change by defeating the BJP," he said.

He said defeating BJP means defeating inflation, corruption, malpractices. "BJP was involved in all such bad things, which needs to be eradicated," he said.

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