PANAJI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said his party has designed a 'Nyay' scheme for the poor in the poll-bound Goa and asserted the real fight in the coastal state is between his party and the ruling BJP and urged people not to waste their votes by supporting others who are also in the fray.
Hitting out at the BJP-led central government over the issue of demonetisation in 2016, he claimed the entire exercise only helped the rich, while small businesses were badly affected.
"The reality is that the fight in Goa is between the Congress and the BJP, rest of the political parties are not in the race. That is why do not waste your votes by voting for any other political party," Gandhi said at a public meeting in Sankhalim ahead of the February 14 polls for the 40-member assembly.
The Sankhalim assembly constituency is represented by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.
The Congress has forged a pre-poll alliance with the Goa Forward Party (GFP), a former BJP ally. Under the alliance, the Congress is contesting on 37 seats and the GFP on the remaining three.
Besides the Congress and the BJP, the AAP, the Trinamool Congress, the MGP, the Shiv Sena and the NCP, among others, are contesting the polls in Goa.
Gandhi said the Congress has taken a historic decision for the welfare of the poor in Goa. "We have designed a Nyay scheme for Goans under which every month Rs 6,000 will be going directly to the account of the poor of the state. It would be transferred automatically," he said.
Wooing voters, the Lok Sabha MP said he wants to give assurance to them on behalf of state Congress leaders that if his party forms a government after the polls, it will represent all Goans. "It would not be a government of the Congress party. Whatever you desire would be fulfilled by the government," he said.
The former Congress president said a government led by his party will be run after consulting the people of the coastal state. "We will not let Goa become a coal hub. Pollution and tourism cannot go together," he said, adding that tourism, the mainstay of the state's economy, will be developed after taking all stakeholders into confidence.
In a veiled attack on the BJP, Gandhi said two vastly different Hindustans are being created.
"Some days back, I gave a speech in Parliament pointing out that there are two Hindustans that are being created. One is of rich businessmen. That Hindustan has nothing to do with the law and the other one is of crores of people. That is poor Hindustan, unemployed Hindustan. Where you will not get education, health infrastructure and not even jobs under MNREGA (rural employment scheme)," he added.
Pointing out to the demonetisation of high value currency notes in 2016, Gandhi said none of the rich people were standing in long queues outside banks to exchange their notes during that phase.
"The entire exercise of demonetisation helped only the rich people while small businesses were eliminated," the Congress leader said.
Gandhi said the Congress had assured that defectors will not be given tickets for the elections and the party has adhered to that promise.