Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant recently stirred controversy by claiming that leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the state were gripped by fear following the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal and others in the Delhi excise policy case.
Speaking at an event in Velim, South Goa Lok Sabha constituency, Sawant alleged that the AAP leaders in Goa were scared in the wake of Kejriwal's detention.
Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21 in connection with a money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped excise policy of his government.
The case revolves around allegations of favouritism and corruption in the formulation of the excise policy, benefiting certain individuals. Sawant did not hold back in his accusations, claiming that the AAP had profited from the excise scam and implying that this money influenced their electoral success in Goa.
According to Sawant, the AAP's electoral victory in the 2022 assembly elections in Goa, where they secured two seats, was facilitated by ill-gotten gains from the excise scam. He suggested that the party was uncertain about how to utilise these funds.
Sawant further asserted that the AAP leaders in Goa were now living in fear after the arrests made in connection with the excise scam in Delhi. He even went on to claim that they were closely monitoring his activities.
The ED's recent questioning of AAP's Goa unit president Amit Palekar and three others in connection with the alleged excise policy case has further intensified the political atmosphere in the state.
This move came after Kejriwal and several other leaders of the party were arrested in Delhi. Sawant's statements reflect the heightened tensions between political parties in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections.
Sawant's remarks underscore the ongoing political manoeuvring in Goa, where parties are vying for supremacy. With the Congress seemingly fading from the political landscape and the AAP facing scrutiny over its alleged involvement in the excise scam, Sawant positions the BJP as the only viable option for the electorate. This narrative sets the stage for a contentious electoral battle, with each party seeking to capitalise on the current political climate.
The BJP has wasted no time in leveraging the situation to its advantage. With Pallavi Dempo as its candidate from the South Goa Lok Sabha constituency, the party aims to consolidate its position in the state. As the political drama unfolds, Goa finds itself at the centre of attention, with the fate of its political landscape hanging in the balance.
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