Goa Assembly Polls: TMC packs Rs 380 crore war chest to buy candidates, fight elections

KOLKATA: In a startling revelation, a senior All India Trinamool Congress party (AITC) MP tasked with the job of overseeing the newly-formed Goa unit of the TMC, confided with this reporter that the Trinamool Congress has set up a war chest of Rs 380 to Rs 400 crore to fight the Goa Assembly polls, which are due in the next 5 months.

One of the major funders of the TMC poll campaign is a Goa businessman who has interests in the media and Tv sector. This businessman has pledged Rs 100 to Rs 150 crore, towards the election fund, with 50 percent in cash and the rest as advertising and promotion for the TMC Goa campaign and could be given a Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha ticket in lieu of his support.

The TMC will contest on at least 20 to 25 seats – depending on the number of strong, winning candidates it is able to rope in. Former Goa CM Luizinho Faleiro who joined the TMC with several other Goans is in-charge of ticket distribution/selection, though it is not yet known if Faleiro will himself contest the polls.

Faleiro has been promised a Rajya Sabha seat, by the TMC high command and he would like to stay happy with that and coordinate with the rest of the TMC Goa unit candidates.

The TMC will contest from Ponda, Velim, Navelim, Panaji, Nuvem, Fatorda, St Cruz, Calangute and at least another 12 to 14 constituencies, the TMC MP said.