Birch Fire Case: Gaurav Luthra, Saurabh Luthra & Ajay Gupta Arrive at Mapusa Court to surrender. Their surrender comes after the Supreme Court upheld the cancellation of their regular bail and directed them to return to custody within two weeks. • Former Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal has arrived at the Mapusa Court to surrender following the Supreme Court’s rejection of his plea. • Former Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal surrenders before Mapusa Court, says, “We are in the Supreme Court and we are sure justice will come. Not to worry.” • Four Mollem panchayat members have moved a No-Confidence Motion against Sarpanch Vithoba Shaba Malekar, citing lack of transparency, accountability and failure in decision-making and communication with panch members. The move is seen as another political setback for Sanvordem MLA and Goa Assembly Speaker Dr Ganesh Gaonkar. • Goa Congress has attacked the Aam Aadmi Party over the emergence of a “strategic third front”, alleging it is a Rs 100 crore play aimed at dividing opposition votes ahead of the 2027 elections. The party likened the move to the British “Divide & Rule” policy and alleged AAP was acting as a BJP proxy. • GPCC President Girish Chodankar demanded PWD Minister Digambar Kamat’s resignation and an independent probe into the Porvorim Flyover after two deaths were reported within 24 hours of its inauguration. He questioned the flyover’s safety, planning and traffic utility, particularly the sudden restriction on two-wheelers, and demanded that the government make the safety and traffic assessments public. • Former MLA Angel Fernandes has returned to the Congress, saying, “I left the party, but I never went away from the party. I was never really out of Congress. Congress is in our blood.” Fernandes said several parties approached him, but he believes Congress is the party that can take Goa forward. • Goa Forward Party President Vijai Sardesai said Goans have been demanding a united opposition, and the “Goa First Alliance” is their answer this Ganesh Chaturthi. He said loyal Congress and BJP voters have been betrayed, while political defections have brought a bad name to Goa. Sardesai said the alliance is also in talks with people from other parties who are tired of defections. •
GFP President Vijai Sardesai said he was an alliance partner of Congress in the 2022 elections but later suspended talks with Congress and opened discussions with AAP, stressing that he had “not cheated anyone.” He said the key reason for aligning with AAP is that despite having only two MLAs, the party’s legislators did not defect, unlike the large-scale defections seen in Goa. • AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal said the AAP-Goa Forward Party alliance is called “Goa First”, asserting that the people of Goa have been betrayed twice and should not face a third betrayal. He said, “Our alliance is Goa First, while the BJP government is Pocket First,” and claimed the BJP is aware it will not return to power but is still claiming it can form the government even with six seats, citing Congress as the reason.
Birch Fire Case: Gaurav Luthra, Saurabh Luthra & Ajay Gupta Arrive at Mapusa Court to surrender. Their surrender comes after the Supreme Court upheld the cancellation of their regular bail and directed them to return to custody within two weeks. • Former Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal has arrived at the Mapusa Court to surrender following the Supreme Court’s rejection of his plea. • Former Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal surrenders before Mapusa Court, says, “We are in the Supreme Court and we are sure justice will come. Not to worry.” • Four Mollem panchayat members have moved a No-Confidence Motion against Sarpanch Vithoba Shaba Malekar, citing lack of transparency, accountability and failure in decision-making and communication with panch members. The move is seen as another political setback for Sanvordem MLA and Goa Assembly Speaker Dr Ganesh Gaonkar. • Goa Congress has attacked the Aam Aadmi Party over the emergence of a “strategic third front”, alleging it is a Rs 100 crore play aimed at dividing opposition votes ahead of the 2027 elections. The party likened the move to the British “Divide & Rule” policy and alleged AAP was acting as a BJP proxy. • GPCC President Girish Chodankar demanded PWD Minister Digambar Kamat’s resignation and an independent probe into the Porvorim Flyover after two deaths were reported within 24 hours of its inauguration. He questioned the flyover’s safety, planning and traffic utility, particularly the sudden restriction on two-wheelers, and demanded that the government make the safety and traffic assessments public. • Former MLA Angel Fernandes has returned to the Congress, saying, “I left the party, but I never went away from the party. I was never really out of Congress. Congress is in our blood.” Fernandes said several parties approached him, but he believes Congress is the party that can take Goa forward. • Goa Forward Party President Vijai Sardesai said Goans have been demanding a united opposition, and the “Goa First Alliance” is their answer this Ganesh Chaturthi. He said loyal Congress and BJP voters have been betrayed, while political defections have brought a bad name to Goa. Sardesai said the alliance is also in talks with people from other parties who are tired of defections. •
GFP President Vijai Sardesai said he was an alliance partner of Congress in the 2022 elections but later suspended talks with Congress and opened discussions with AAP, stressing that he had “not cheated anyone.” He said the key reason for aligning with AAP is that despite having only two MLAs, the party’s legislators did not defect, unlike the large-scale defections seen in Goa. • AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal said the AAP-Goa Forward Party alliance is called “Goa First”, asserting that the people of Goa have been betrayed twice and should not face a third betrayal. He said, “Our alliance is Goa First, while the BJP government is Pocket First,” and claimed the BJP is aware it will not return to power but is still claiming it can form the government even with six seats, citing Congress as the reason.
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