*BJP loses its first MLA, Alina Saldanha leaves the party and joins AAP*
*Alina Saldanha joined AAP after being fed up of BJP Antics, Her addition to the Aam Aadmi Party will increase the party’s strength on the ground: Arvind Kejriwal*
The BJP’s two time Cortalim MLA and former Forest and Environment Minister Alina Saldanha joined Aam Aadmi Party in the presence of AAP national Convenor and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi. She is the first BJP legislator to step down during the current session.
Saldanha has been leading the campaign that opposes three linear projects passing through the Mollem biodiversity hotspot and has been opposing the double-track project that would destroy hundreds of houses in her constituency.
While addressing the media on Friday she said, “The BJP is no longer the party of the late Manohar Parrikar or one that late Matanhy Saldanha joined with a lot of hope for the state and people of Goa. In fact, recent developments in the state forced me to take a stand. I had to leave the BJP for numerous reasons. The party seems to have forgotten its principles and that’s I joined the AAP which works for betterment of common people”.
“I was feeling suffocated. Even the party also felt that I was an obstruction for their goals which are anti-people. If I am with the people, I can’t be with the BJP. I decided to join AAP, the party of common man. The party which I believe puts the common man in the first position before taking any project. I am in Delhi and I have seen the progress that the Kejriwal government has done in Delhi and impressed by this I joined the AAP”, she added.
While talking about the three linear projects she said, “I am made it to point to make CM Pramod Sawant understand what will happen if tracks are doubled. This will lead to the destruction, we will be destroying homes of the people. There will be air pollution and water pollution caused by coal dust. That will lead to loss of aquatic life. Such projects cannot be termed as developmental projects because these projects are anti-people. Therefore as an elected representative of the people, I felt it was my duty to stand by the people. I will do that till my last breath because that was what my husband would have done”.
“As a matter of fact, if late Matanhy Saldanha were alive today, he would have been fasting somewhere or sitting on the tracks trying to persuade the government to stop three development projects. He would have continued fighting to protect the people of Goa to protect the state”, she said.
AAP national Convenor and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal said, “I want to assure the people of Goa that no project will be imposed on the people of Goa without their consent. The people of Goa feel that the central government is bringing this three linear projects to benefit a few capitalists. We are against it. If the Aam Aadmi Party government is formed, no work will be done without the consent of the people of Goa. Today people have lost faith in Congress and BJP in Goa. AAP is the only hope for Goans. If AAP is elected, AAP will provide an honest governance”.
