Panaji: Hitting out strongly at the Congress, the vice-president of the All India Trinamool Congress Luizinho Faleiro accused the grand old national party of being involved in the wholesale business of selling MLAs and dividing votes.

Addressing a press conference on Thursday in Panaji for the first time after filing nomination for Rajya Sabha seat from West Bengal, the former chief minister rubbished retirement rumours.

Faleiro hit out at critics who had called his nomination to the Rajya Sabha on TMC ticket a retirement package.

“I have not retired, and in fact taken this step to raise Goa-specific issues nationally in the Parliament. There are issues like Goa becoming a coal hub, doubling of railway track, diversion of Mhadei water by Karnataka, which were never raised in the Parliament. I will be the voice of Goa in the Parliament and raise Goa-specific

issues at the national level,” he said.

He also rejected allegation that TMC is here in Goa to divide secular votes in upcoming Goa legislative assembly polls.

“Those who have made a business by selling their MLAs to the BJP should not talk about dividing secular votes. In fact, they do not have moral right to tell the people about secular votes,” he said.

Faleiro thanked AITC chairperson and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for giving him this opportunity to work at the national level.

“I will not compromise, nor make empty promises. Goa does not want the Gujarat model or the Bengal model, but needs a Goa model and that will happen only if the people of Goa decide what’s best for Goa. It is TMC’s aim to ensure that Goans get good governance,” he said.

Speaking on his vision for Goa, Faleiro said that issues like mining, unemployment, economy, and environment would be high on his priority list.

On the issue of mining, he clarified that the TMC supports sustainable and legal mining and the party will fight for legal mining to resume as early as possible.

Meanwhile, Faleiro inducted a businessman from Porvorim Wilbur Ticklo into the TMC on Thursday at a function held in the party office.