Day after debate between their power ministers, Delhi, Goa CMs spar on Twitter

After the debate ended on Monday, Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant hit out at Delhi power minister Satyendar Jain for what he called an “unacceptable” reference to Goa’s politicians as “third class”

A day after a televised live debate between their power ministers over the promise of free electricity, the chief ministers of Delhi and Goa took potshots at each other via Twitter.

Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant. (File photo)

After the debate ended on Monday, Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant hit out at Delhi power minister Satyendar Jain for what he called an “unacceptable” reference to Goa’s politicians as “third class”.

“AAP has always indulged in cheap politics through constant protests and theatrics. But to say Goans are third class politicians is an insult to great sons-of-the-soil like Bhausaheb Bandodkar (Goa’s first chief minister), Jack Sequeira (João Hugo Eduardo de Sequeira, Goa’s first opposition leader), Manohar “Bhai” Parrikar, Rajendra Arlekar (Governor of Himachal Pradesh) or Shripad “Bhau” Naik (Union Minister of State for Ports and Shipping),” Sawant tweeted.

“AAP is free to create hype for their political benefits but to come to Goa and insult our leaders is unacceptable,” he added.

This morning, Kejriwal responded by saying that “buying and selling” MLAs was the real disservice to Goa’s eminent politicians. “Pramod-bab, by comparing the present set of politicians to such political greats, you are insulting them. Current BJP neither has the greatness of Bhausaheb Bandodkar, integrity of Dr Jack Sequeira or [the] vision of Manohar Parrikar,” he tweeted.

“Bhausaheb Bandodkar has been insulted by the way MLAs have been bought and sold. Dr Jack Sequeira didn’t fight to see Goan votes being bought and sold. Manohar Parrikar didn’t work tirelessly to see Congress MLAs being bought wholesale,” he added.

A section within the BJP reportedly resents the ten Congress MLAs who joined the party in 2019. Atanasio Monserrate, for instance, now represents the Panaji seat that Manohar Parrikar represented for five terms.

AAP is hoping to tap into this resentment and promises to take Parrikar’s legacy forward despite attacking the BJP for forming governments without having the people’s mandate.

In 2017, Parrikar quit as the defence minister to become Goa chief minister with the help of the Goa Forward Party, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and Independents despite the party being routed at the polls.