Panaji: Independent Sanguem MLA Prasad Gaonkar’s brother Sandesh on Monday joined the Congress party at a function held at the Congress House in Panaji.

Several supporters of the Sanguem MLA also joined the grand old party along with Sandesh, in the presence of Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Girish Chodankar and Congress legislative party leader Digambar Kamat.

“For the last four and half years, we are seeing that the BJP government is out to finish Goa. Government has neglected and done injustice to the people of Sanguem. We have been fighting this government over many issues including revival of Sanjivani sugar factory and rehabilitation of people, who were displaced by the Selaulim irrigation project,” Sandesh said, interacting with media persons.

He said his focus will now be on working towards strengthening the Congress party in the constituency in close coordination with the GPCC president and CLP leader.

Welcoming Sandesh into the party fold, Kamat congratulated him and the supporters of Sanguem MLA Prasad Gaonkar and said their entry will help the party ahead of the 2022 state assembly elections.

“I welcome them into our party and congratulate them for taking the right decision. I am confident that Congress in Sanguem will become stronger from the grassroots level,” Kamat said.

Goa Pradesh Congress Committee chief Girish Chodankar said the Sanguem MLA has expressed his wish to join Congress. However, due to legal issues, he cannot join immediately. “Prasad will have to resign before he enters Congress, these are technical issues,” he said.

When Chodankar was asked if the Congress was willing to give party ticket to Gaonkar to contest the 2022 assembly elections from Sanguem, he said the local party leadership has no power to confirm anyone’s ticket in Goa and added that such decisions are taken by the party high command in Delhi. “Party high command will take a call at the appropriate time,” he added.