Known devil better than unknown saint: Goa Congress MP on new political parties

Panaji, Jan 5 A known devil is better than an unknown saint, Goa Congress Lok Sabha MP and former Chief Minister Francisco Sardinha said on Wednesday, urging voters to shun new political parties and vote for Congress in the upcoming state Assembly polls.

"Do not lie in Goa. Do not go by assurances. A known devil is better than an unknown one. A known devil is better than an unknown saint," Sardinha said at a press conference here on Wednesday, while obliquely referring to the Trinamool Congress's populist pre-poll assurances related to doles for women.

"There are new parties in Goa. What have they done for Goa needs to be known. So far it is easy to say we will do it (fulfil assurances). Ask them what have they have done in their states?" Sardinha said.

The former Chief Minister also claimed while the TMC has assured a dole of Rs 5,000 per woman head of the household in the state, the party's government in West Bengal paid only Rs 500.

TMC Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra has, however, dismissed the charge of inconsistency in doles in both states, claiming that every woman registered under the West Bengal government's Laxmi Bhandar scheme was entitled to Rs 500, while in Goa the dole of Rs 5,000 was being allotted to every woman head of household.

Leaders of the TMC which has taken a plunge into Goa politics months ago, have been crossing swords with their counterparts Congress party, over which party is more capable of taking on the ruling BJP.

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