Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji
Panaji, Oct 25: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Saturday took a dig at his Karnataka counterpart D K Shivakumar over his recent speech in Kannada during the Congress’s Goy Rakhonn Yatra, asserting that speaking the language would not help win votes in Goa, where people are well-versed in Konkani.
“If someone comes here and speaks ‘yendu gundu’, that won’t get him votes. Goans know Konkani very well,” Sawant said while inaugurating the BJP’s Cortalim constituency office in South Goa’s Mormugao taluka.
Shivakumar had addressed a gathering in Kannada at Cortalim during the Congress’s Goy Rakhonn Yatra, organised to highlight issues concerning the protection of Goa’s identity and interests.
Addressing the gathering, Sawant said the BJP was aiming to win 30 seats in the 2027 Goa Assembly elections and expressed his desire to include Cortalim in the party’s tally.
“We want to win 30 seats in the 2027 elections, and in that tally, I want Cortalim constituency to be part of it. We want to repeat history,” he said.
Recalling the BJP’s victories in Cortalim in the 2012 and 2017 Assembly elections, Sawant paid tribute to former MLA Matanhy Saldanha, a prominent leader associated with the constituency.
Matanhy Saldanha was elected from Cortalim on a BJP ticket in the 2012 Assembly elections. Following his demise, his wife, Alina Saldanha, retained the seat for the party in the 2017 elections.
Sawant also noted that the South Goa Collectorate building had been named after Matanhy Saldanha in recognition of his association with the region.
The BJP office was inaugurated in the presence of Goa BJP president Damu Naik, Rajya Sabha MP Sadanand Shet Tanavade, MLAs Daji Salkar and Sankalp Amonkar, former MP Narendra Sawaikar and other party functionaries.
Cortalim is currently represented by Independent MLA Anton Vaz.
The BJP said the newly inaugurated office would serve as a link between party workers and residents, helping strengthen the organisation and improve grassroots outreach ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.