Kejriwal accuses Goa Congress chief of involvement in mining with ‘blessings’ of CM

Panaji, Oct 4 (PTI) Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday alleged that Goa Congress chief Amit Patkar runs a mining business with the “blessings” of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.

Addressing a public meeting in the Mayem constituency in North Goa after inaugurating AAP leader Shrikrishna Parab’s office, Kejriwal claimed, citing a conversation with a fellow passenger on his way to Goa, that Patkar owns mines in the coastal state.

Patkar was unavailable for comments.

“That cannot happen (owning mines) without the blessings of the chief minister. Both are together. They just claim to have different political affiliations - one is Congress and the other is the BJP,” he said.

Over the past 60 years, Kejriwal said, 13-14 families have maintained their grip over politics in Goa.

“Their grandfather was contesting, then their son and now their grandson is contesting the election,” he said, adding that such individuals do not contest polls for the sake of the people but for their own benefits.

“These families are not just in the BJP, but also in the Congress. Even major businesses, contracts and big land parcels are with them,” he claimed.

The time is appropriate to “change” the system so that the people have rights over their resources, said the ex-Delhi CM, who arrived in Goa on Friday evening for a three-day visit to the coastal state.

Addressing the media outside Dabolim Airport, he had said AAP would form the government in Goa on its own after the 2027 assembly polls. In the 40-member Goa assembly, AAP now has two MLAs.

Kejriwal said people have lost faith in the ruling BJP and opposition Congress. “The BJP has been ruling Goa for the last 13 years. The Congress has been supporting the BJP to form the government by providing MLAs,” he claimed. PTI RPS NR