New Delhi: Stating only the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) can provide political stability for development of Goa, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday took a jibe at the Congress and said the coastal state is just a vacation spot for the Gandhi family.
Shah said the people of the state need to choose between the BJP’s “golden Goa” and the Congress’ “Gandhi parivar ka Goa”.
“The Congress’ Gandhi parivar treats Goa as its tourist destination. They come here often,” said Shah addressing an indoor public meeting here, about 30 kms from state capital Panaji, PTI reported.
“But as for the BJP, we are fulfilling (late Goa chief minister) Manohar Parrikar’s ‘golden Goa’ dreams,” he added.
Continuing his outburst against the Congress, Shah said that Goa was notorious for corruption, instability and chaos during the tenure of former chief minister Digambar Kamat.
Lambasting Rahul Gandhi, he said that the Congress leader suffered from “Modi-phobia”.
The Union Home Minister also took potshots at the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) for contesting the polls in the coastal state.
Asserting these parties have entered the fray just to expand their base or get national recognition, Shah said: “These parties cannot form a government here. It is only the BJP that can do so.”
“Unless there is political stability, there can be no development,” he added campaigning for party candidate and former Goa chief minister Ravi Naik, who had recently joined the BJP after quitting the Congress.
Shah said the BJP government in Goa has in the last decade worked for development of infrastructure, adding it cannot happen without the Central government’s help.
Shah said development of smaller states is a priority for Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government.
He added that the ruling dispensation at the Centre has provided all help to the coastal state.
Polling for the 40-member Goa Assembly will take place in a single phase on February 14.
The counting of votes will take place on March 10.