Opposition targets Goa CM Pramod Sawant over land purchase in Maharashtra

Goa Forward Party leader Vijai Sardesai claimed the purchases “are in continuation of pure speculative real estate gains”. “Maharashtra has a land ceiling Act which doesn’t allow such huge purchases. How is he an owner of (so much) land? He needs to explain…” said Sardesai.

Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh too tweeted, “Would CM Goa please come out clean on it?”

The scrutiny on Sawant’s alleged land deal comes at a time that villagers in Dodamarg have been demanding that their villages — 55 in total — be merged with Goa. Sawant, however, has said that this will not happen.

Sardesai said, “The nature of his (Sawant’s) purchases indicate he is looking for a real estate boon once Dodamarg becomes part of Goa… Why is the Chief Minister buying plots in such quantities in a district which wants to merge with Goa?”

He added, “The fresh sale deeds are from October, when he went to canvass for a candidate during the Maharashtra state elections.”

“If I had anything to hide, I would not have bought it in my name,”Sawant told local media, though he did not confirm or deny the purchases.

Messages to Sawant did not yield response.