BJP \'invites\' Rahul to visit new Goa bridge\, Cong hits back

BJP 'invites' Rahul to visit new Goa bridge, Cong hits back

Press Trust of India  |  Panaji 

The BJP Monday took a dig at the and its chief against the backdrop of the inauguration of a 5.1 kilometre long cable-stayed bridge, christened Atal Setu, on the

Earlier in the day, the BJP "requested" Gandhi to "visit" the bridge, named after late BJP patriarch and former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, to see how the ruling party was "transforming"

and were in since last Saturday on a private visit.

The cable-stayed bridge, the third on the Mandovi River, was opened to public on Sunday at a function attended by and Manohar Parrikar.

Tweeting from its handle Monday, the BJP said, "Dear Shri @RahulGandhi, We have come to learn that you are currently on a vacation in We request you along with all MLAs to visit the Atal Setu, the 3rd longest cable stayed-bridge in over river mandovi and witness how @BJP4India is #TransformingIndia."

All MLAs in the state, except Aleixo Reginaldo from Curtorim, had boycotted the bridge inauguration ceremony alleging corruption in its construction.

Congress' Goa unit said the BJP inaugurated the "incomplete" bridge knowing well that they are going to lose the general elections, due in April-May.

"The bridge was inaugurated despite it being incomplete, as the BJP knows that they will get defeated in the polls," Chodankar said, adding that Rahul Gandhi will "certainly visit the bridge as a PM after the polls".

The Congress said the bridge was not open for vehicles because its work is not complete yet.

Seeking to know the "real owner" of the bridge, Chodankar said, "the government claims the bridge is handed over to the state-run Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC), but workers of L&T are still seen working on the project".

The cable-stayed bridge is a joint venture between Larsen &Toubro and the GSIDC.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Mon, January 28 2019. 21:00 IST