Goa Assembly Poll: Congress lambastes Parrikar's claim that women voted for BJP

Congress on Thursday dismissed as “wrong” the claim made by Defence Minister and senior BJP leader Manohar Parrikar that majority of women voted for the ruling party in recently-held Goa Assembly elections.

“Majority of women in Goa are angry with BJP. Rising crimes against women and the matters that landed their families into crisis have resulted into generation of anti-BJP sentiments,” AICC Secretary Girish Chodankar told reporters in Margao.

He was referring to Parrikar’s statement that women in the state had voted for BJP as the party has launched several schemes like “Grih Adhar” providing monthly remuneration of Rs 1,500 for housewives.

“It sounds so cheap to hear that women would vote for any particular party for a paltry sum of Rs 1,500. The women in Goa are educated, independent and have their self-respect,” the Congress leader said.

Chodankar said it was “wrong” to claim that women had voted for BJP.

“I would rather say angry women have voted silently. Theirs is a silent vote,” he said. The single-phase election for 40 seats in the coastal state was held on February 4, where 82 per cent polling was registered.