PANAJI: The Congress Thursday accused the BJP of supporting dynastic rule in Mapusa and Panaji Assembly constituencies.
A by-election, necessitated by the death of BJP MLA Francis D'Souza, was held in Mapusa on April 23, while another by-election, necessitated by the death of former chief minister Manohar Parrikar, is due in Panaji on May 19.
Former deputy chief minister D'Souza's son Joshua was the BJP candidate in Mapusa, while in Panaji, Parrikar's son Utpal Parrikar is being seen as front-runner for BJP ticket.
Congress leader Chandrakant Kavlekar said the BJP accuses his party of promoting dynasty politics.
"The BJP has always said it is against family raj. Now it should explain why it is supporting family raj in Mapusa and Panaji," said the Leader of Opposition in Goa Assembly.
The result of 2017 Assembly polls would be repeated in two Lok Sabha seats and three assembly constituencies in the state where polling was held on April 23, he claimed.
"The BJP was reduced to mere 13 (MLAs) after the 2017 polls and the Congress emerged as the largest party with 17 members. Whenever there is election, people have always voted for the Congress," he said.
State Congress chief Girish Chodankar, who contested from the North Goa Lok Sabha seat, claimed that several senior BJP leaders and workers supported Congress candidates in the election to express their anger about the BJP leadership.
"I am also thankful to workers of the (BJP ally) Goa Forward Party who supported us publicly," he said, adding that the Congress was also indebted to the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party for its support.