MARGAO
The BJP leadership seems to have zeroed in on deputy Chief Minister, Manohar Ajgaonkar to take on Opposition leader, Digambar Kamat for the Margao seat.
Ajgaonkar, who was at the Margao Municipal square to express solidarity with the striking citizens, including Mulslims, in support of the demand for kabrastan at Sonsodo, told media he is ready to take up any job assigned to him by the party leadership.
He made this comment when media asked him a specific question whether he is willing and ready to cross swords with Opposition leader Digambar Kamat in Margao. “I am ready to take up any job assigned to me by the party. If the party wants me to contest from Margao, I will not shy away from taking up the responsibility”, Ajgaonkar said.
That the BJP drafted Ajgaonkar to address the striking citizens to call off the fast, promising to solve the kabrastan issue, is an indication that the ruling party has told the Dy CM to start his work in Margao.
The Goan understands that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and BJP state president Sadanand Tanavade had a meeting with the deputy Chief Minister and requested him to throw his hat in the Margao election ring on the BJP banner.
Sources said Ajgaonkar and his close aides is believed to have questioned the duo whether the BJP Margao Mandal will all throw their weight behind him if he decides to contest the election from Margao.
It is learnt that the Chief Minister and party state president Tanavade have assured the deputy Chief Minister that he would invite leaders of the Margao mandal for discussions with the party leadership before taking a final call.
Close aides of the deputy Chief Minister pointed out that Ajgaonkar is not averse to crossing swords on the BJP banner in the event the Margao Madal and the party as a whole throw their weight behind him.
Though Ajgaonkar had got elected from Dhargal and now Pernem to the Goa Legislative Assembly, he is not new in Margao as he has his residence in the commercial capital.
In fact, Ajgaonkar is a former vice-Chairperson of the Margao Municipal Council, while his brother Rajendra had rose to become a Chairperson of the civic body over a decade ago.
That’s not all. Rajendra’s daughter Dr Ronita Ajgaonkar is a sitting member of the Margao Municipal Council, having got elected to the civic body on the BJP-backed panel.
