Congress to dare 10 MLAs who joined BJP to quit, seek re-election
Panaji: The Goa Congress has said it will challenge its 10 former MLAs, who joined the BJP last year, to resign and seek fresh mandate on the saffron party's ticket.
State Congress spokesman Urfan Mulla told PTI on Thursday that his party leaders will visit homes of the 10 MLAs and challenge them to re-contest the election.
After the 2017 Goa polls, a hung Assembly had emerged.
But, the BJP outsmarted the Congress by cobbling together a coalition quickly.
In July last year, 10 Congress MLAs switched over to the BJP.
"The Congress will challenge them to resign as MLAs and then re-contest on BJP's ticket from their respective Assembly constituencies. If they think they can get re-elected on BJP's ticket, they should try their luck," Mulla said.
These MLAs got elected in the 2017 polls on Congress' ticket, as the voters had rejected the BJP, he claimed.
"But these ten MLAs ditched the voters and join the BJP," he alleged.
The state Congress leaders will start visiting these 10 MLAs later this week, Mulla said.
"St Cruz MLA Antonio Fernandes, who is among these 10 lawmakers, will be the first one to be given a letter challenging him to resign," he said.
Mulla also said that the Congress is planning to hold a 'mashal rally' (with fire torches), similar to the protest held by former chief minister Manohar Parrikar before the 2012 state polls, against the presence of off-shore casinos in the Mandovi river in Panaji.
Locals have been opposing the presence of these vessels in the river.
Before the 2012 elections, Parrikar led a 'mashal rally' in Panaji, urging the then Digambar Kamat-led state government to shift the casinos out of the river.
The Congress is miffed with the recent statement of state Ports Minister Michael Lobo, who said the off-shore casinos should not be shifted out of the Mandovi river, and suggested that more such vessels be introduced in other rivers of the state.
"We have planned a strategy. We will hold exactly the same kind of agitation that was held by Parrikar. We want to remind the BJP of its assurance on the off-shore casinos," Mulla said, adding that the exact date for the rally would be announced soon.
He accused the BJP of "betraying" the people of Goa on several issues, including relocation of casinos.
"The Congress, in its 2017 poll manifesto, specifically mentioned that it is committed to remove the off-shore vessels. We have remained committed to that assurance," Mulla said.
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ED raids Kolkata Police deputy commissioner, businessman in PMLA probe
Kolkata (PTI): The Enforcement Directorate on Sunday conducted raids at the premises of Kolkata Police Deputy Commissioner Shantanu Sinha Biswas and a local businessman as part of a money laundering probe against an alleged criminal and his linked syndicate in the poll-bound state, officials said.
Two premises of Biswas, including his residence in Ballygunge area and one location of the businessman named Joy Kamdar, Managing Director of a company named Sun Enterprise, have been raided under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Kamdar has been taken by the officials to the local ED office for questioning. Biswas, chief coordinator and nodal officer of the West Bengal and Kolkata Police welfare committee, was not present at his premises, they said.
The action is linked to a money laundering case against an alleged local criminal named Biswajit Podder alias Sona Pappu, who is booked in multiple cases on charges of attempted murder and extortion.
The federal probe agency had conducted the first round of searches in this case on April 1.
The ED had then seized cash of Rs 1.47 crore apart from gold jewellery and silver valued at Rs 67.64 lakh and a country-made revolver from some premises that were searched.
The probe stems from a Kolkata Police FIR against against Podder for his alleged involvement in rioting, attempt to murder, criminal conspiracy and Arms Act violations. The accused, including Podder, were engaged in organised criminal syndicate activities in the state of West Bengal and generated funds illegally by way of syndicate operations, the ED said in a statement on April 9.
Podder is also wanted by the police in a case of violence in Kankulia road near Golpark of Kolkata and is currently on the run.
The ED has issued summons to Podder but he has failed to join the investigation so far, according to the agency.
West Bengal will have a two phase poll on April 23 and April 29.
