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THE GOAN NETWORK
PERNEM: Hailing Dayanand Sopte for returning to the BJP with a vision to develop Mandrem constituency and to provide employment opportunities to youth, Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant on Tuesday was confident that the people of Mandrem would stand by Sopte to fullfil his vision.
The chief minister was speaking to people before Sopte filed his nomination as BJP candidate for the Mandrem bypoll on Tuesday, which also marked his birthday.
"Sopte's decision to leave the Congress and return to the BJP is a right one and this time, he will seek the confidence of his people in Mandrem by doubling his margin," said Dr Sawant.
"Sopte was originally a BJP worker and for some reason he left the party, but now he has returned home. The development of Mandrem and providing employment opportunities to youth is his vision and I have no doubt people will stand by him to fullfil his vision," Dr Sawant told people who gathered in large numbers at the Bhagwati temple premises.
State BJP President Vinay Tendulkar also appealed to voters to elect Sopte to strengthen the hand of PM Narendra Modi at the centre and Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant in Goa.
Justifying his decision to leave the Congress party, Sopte said: “My decision to leave the Congress party and join BJP was not a selfish one. It was solely to facilitate the development of Mandrem constituency and I appeal to people to elect me with a large margin.”
Incidentally, former chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar was conspicuous by his absence when Sopte filed his nomination and it is left to be seen if Parsekar, who was successfully persuaded by the BJP not to contest as a rebel candidate, would campaign for Sopte in the bypoll.
Before filing his nomination papers, Sopte along with Dr Sawant and Tendulkar sought the blessings of the Goddess Bhagwati at the Ravalnath temple in Pernem.
