MARGAO
The battle lines for the prestigious Margao seat are getting drawn ahead of the 2022 Assembly polls.
After the new entrant, Trinamool Congress inducted two Margao Municipal councillors, Ganashyam Shirodkar and Mahesh Amonkar into the party last week, the BJP roped in Union Minister Shripad Naik to open the party office in the city here on Sunday to launch the party’s campaign to checkmate the Leader of Opposition in the ensuing polls.
On the other hand, Opposition leader Digambar Kamat is set to kick-start his door-to-door election campaign on Monday after seeking the blessings of the city’s presiding deity Lord Damubab at the Pimpalkatta at 11 am.
While the Congress has re-nominated the Opposition leader for the Margao seat, the TMC is yet to unveil its candidature for the seat. On the other hand, it became crystal clear on Sunday that city-based real estate developer, Dr Desh Prabhudesai will cross swords with the Opposition leader on the BJP Lotus symbol for the Margao seat.
The Union Minister made a fervent plea to Madgavkars to vote and elect the BJP candidate from Margao in the coming polls. Without taking names, Naik slammed certain parties for making tall promises on the eve of elections, exuding confidence that the people will show these new parties their place in the coming polls.
Both the Union Minister Shripad and the BJP Margao Candidate Dr Desh Prabhudesai said the strong party organisation will keep the party in good stead in the coming polls. “Some may say the BJP did not start the work early in Margao to defeat Kamat. But, we want to tell everyone that the BJP’s strength is its organisation and the workers, who toil hard on the ground to keep the party flag flying high in every election,” the duo said.
Dr Desh also countered the charge that he is being considered as an outsider in Margao, saying that he is part and parcel of the city, coming to the city everyday from home for business and other work.
Party leaders Sharmad Raitukar, Naveen Raikar, Parag Raikar and others were present.
2 BJP leaders absence at office opening fuels speculations of divided house
MARGAO: Even as the BJP opened its party election office at Comba-Margao on Sunday, two prominent city-based leaders, party block president Rupesh Mahatme and General Secretary Ketan Kurtarkar were conspicuous by their absence.
While leaders at the office inauguration downplayed the duos absence saying they are busy with wedding programme, questions are being raised in BJP circles why the party went ahead with the office inauguration on Sunday aware that both Rupesh and Ketan would be preoccupied with the wedding programme on December 26-27. The absence of the mandal president and general secretary further fueled the oft-repeated speculations that the Margao BJP unit is a divided house, ridden with factions, working against each others interest.
