GA-MINING-SARDESAI

Goa Forward Party chief Vijai

Sardesai Monday said people would "react" during the Lok Sabha

polls if the ruling BJP failed to solve the mining crisis in

the coastal state.

The mining sector in the state came to a standstill in

March last year after the Supreme Court quashed 88 mining

leases and banned extraction of iron ore.

The GFP is an ally in the Mahohar Parrikar government

in Goa and Sardesai is state Town and Country Planning

minister.

Equating the mining issue with regional aspirations,

Sardesai said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi says Ek Bharat,

Shreshta Bharat. His statement has regional aspirations in

mind. If any party is not able to meet regional aspirations,

then they will not be able to get support of the people."

"Even the PM says so (about regional aspirations). So

what is regional aspirations? Mining is the backbone of the

(Goa) economy. It should start," he added.

"If the mining crisis is not solved before Lok Sabha

polls, then people will react towards BJP candidates. How will

you get votes if you don't solve the issues of the people?" he

claimed.

He was speaking to reporters in Margao Monday, a

couple of days ahead of the Opinion Poll Day anniversary.

On January 16, 1967, an opinion poll was held to get

the people's view on Goa being a separate entity or a part of

Maharashtra.

People had voted against the merger of the former

Portuguese colony with Maharashtra.

Sardesai said heroes of the Opinion Poll should be

recognised, adding that his party always spoke about identity

politics.

"Goa retained its Goemkarponn (Goanness) due to the

Opinion Poll. If we hadn't won it, we would have been a taluka

of Maharashtra," he said.