After Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Raghav Chadha challenged Goa Power Minister Nilesh Cabral for a debate over the electricity models of both the states on Monday, Cabral said he is ready to debate with "like-minded people", but not the "one who's not connected" with the issue.
"I don't have any problem in debating with the like-minded people who understand the power problems of Delhi and Goa. I don't seek to debate with one who's not connected to it. Delhi power minister is welcome for the debate. I haven't challenged anybody," said Cabral.
Earlier today, Chadha said he is ready to have a debate with Cabral over the Delhi electricity model as compared to the Goa one, but the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) high command is not giving permission.
"I informed Goa power minister that I will be debating with him on the topic of Kejriwal electricity model vs Goa electricity model of the BJP and I will reach Goa by 2 pm on November 17. But now he seems to be running away from the debate," said Chadha.
"BJP high command is not giving permission to Goa Power Minister Cabral for the debate, which was originally his idea. I now urge BJP high command as well as Mr Cabral to readily accept this challenge and let me know the venue and time of this debate," he added.
Earlier, a war of words took place on social media between the chief ministers of Delhi and Goa on November 11-12, with Arvind Kejriwal accusing his Goan counterpart of ignoring local voices under "the Centre's diktat", in return being accused by Dr Pramod Sawant of doing "divisive politics".
The spat began on Twitter last Wednesday after Delhi Chief Minister responded to a news portal's tweet citing Sawant, a BJP member, as saying that "Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal should first fix issues of pollution in his area before getting worried about Goa."
There has been an ongoing feud in Goa between the ruling BJP and Kejriwal's AAP over environmental issues, especially the railway "double-tracking project" inside the protected forest areas.
( With inputs from ANI )
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