Dr. Prakash Desai along with Congress candidate Dharmesh Saglani and others
Gomantak Times
Well-known dentist and BJP leader Dr. Prakash Desai has extended his support to Congress candidate Dharmesh Saglani, who is pitted against Chief Minister Pramod Sawant in Sanquelim, through a press conference at his residence on Friday, February 11.
Desai said, "We are impressed by the work done by Congress candidate Dharmesh Saglani in the last eight years. Saglani has been an helping hand to the poor and needy. He is a young leader and his work has been seen by the people, even during lockdown period due to pandemic, he started a helpline service to help people at the risk of his own lives. So I feel that Dharmesh Saglani should be given a chance once to be an MLA."
He also launched an attack on BJP, saying BJP is no longer the party it used to be in past.
"These opportunistic outsiders have not come to the BJP for party love, but for their own selfish gain. We have been supporters of BJP since 1994, I joined BJP in 2012 and became active member in BJP. The principles by which we were working for the BJP have changed in Goa. The principle, the ideology has been destroyed and only the symbol lotus is left behind," he said.
He said newcomers to the BJP from other parties are being treated with respect. "BJP has given place to criminals and corrupt people in BJP," he said.
Taking a dig in Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Desai said, "Pramod Sawant has been the MLA for the last ten years, Chairman of Goa Saadhan Suvidha Mandal, Chairman and Chief Minister for the last three years but the Sanquelim has not been able to develop the constituency as expected."
Prakash Desai stated that Sawant took ten years to build the new Kadamba bus stand and was completed in hurry due to elections.
"Sawant could not build an industrial colony despite his promise in the manifesto. He also failed to resume mining in the state," Desai said.
He further appealed to his supporters to vote for Congress candidate Saglani with a huge majority of votes and bring a new change in Sanquelim.
Congress candidate Dharmesh Saglani said that the people of Sanquelim constituency want change. "In the last ten years, Sawant has done nothing but increase corruption and unemployment. Congress government will come to Goa and the Sanquelim constituency will be transformed," he said.
Dr. Prakash Desai's last-minute and sudden decision to support Congress candidate Dharmesh Saglani has created a stir in the Sanquelim and in the BJP faction
Mayor of the Sanquelim Raya Parsekar, former MLA Pratap Gavas, former Sarpanch Pravin Blegan and candidate Dharmesh Saglani were present on the occasion.