Goa: Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar takes potshots at Rahul

The Chief Minister claimed that Rahul Gandhi had told local leaders to gather 50,000 people for his Goa rally but only a few thousands turned up.

Panaji, Dec 19: Taking a jibe at Rahul Gandhi after his recent Goa visit, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar said that the mere presence of Congress Vice-President in the state prompted many of his party leaders to quit the outfit. "See the impact of Rahul Gandhi’s presence in Goa.

First day, one of their legislators left the party,” Parsekar said addressing Vijay Sankalp rally last night in Margao constituency.

The CM was referring to the resignation of Congress legislator Mauvin Godinho on December 17 who joined BJP on the day when Gandhi addressed a rally in Fatorda village.

"Second day, Congress’ former minister quit the party. Now let us see what is in store for the future and how many people are leaving," Parsekar said referring to former Congress minister Manohar Asgaonkar, who quit the party and joined the MGP yesterday.

The Chief Minister also claimed that Rahul Gandhi had told local leaders to gather 50,000 people for his Goa rally but only a few thousands turned up. "This is because (Narendra) Modi meeting had a crowd of one lakh (held in the run up for 2014 Lok Sabha polls).

But what we witnessed was that empty buses were arriving from different parts of the state for Gandhi's rally," he commented. Gandhi, at the Fatorda rally had accused PM Modi of working for one per cent super rich people at the cost of 99 per cent honest Indians.

PTI