‘Goans would rather vote for BJP’: Congress candidate’s remark riles AAP

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) lashed out against the Congress after its South Goa candidate said that people have told him they would rather vote for BJP than AAP.

A war or words erupted between the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) after its candidate for the South Goa Lok Sabha seat Francisco Sardinha said that people have told him they would rather vote for BJP than AAP.

Congress candidate for South Goa Lok Sabha seat Francisco Sardinha sparked a row after he said that people have told him they would rather vote for BJP than AAP. (Congress Photo)

“I was talking to some people and they told me that it is better to give votes to the BJP than the AAP because at least they (BJP) will acknowledge you. These people (AAP) do they even have a 1% chance of winning?” Sardinha told reporters after casting his vote.

The AAP latched onto the comments with party leader Valmiki Naik calling the Congress the ‘certified’ B-team of the BJP.

The comments also drew the attention of the party’s national convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, who questioned whether the alleged bonhomie between the Congress and the BJP was the reason why the Congress refused an alliance with his party in Goa. The state sends two lawmakers to Parliament.

“Congress candidate openly seeking votes for BJP? Is this why the Congress refused to do an alliance in Goa,” Kejriwal tweeted.

The Congress, however, said that the statements made by its candidate were being “deliberately twisted by elements with vested interest who are desperately spreading this misinformation to confuse voters.”

“Sardinha has never appealed to vote for BJP and it is most foolish on the part of anyone who even spreads this,” party spokesperson Sunil Kawthankar said.

The AAP also complained that in certain polling booths, BJP’s polling agents were allowed to sport badges with the names of the party’s candidates within the polling stations.

Confusion prevailed as presiding officers ruled that since the badge did not have a party symbol, it could be allowed but the District Electoral Officers said that prima facie it appeared that wearing a coloured badge was a violation.