MARGAO
Maintaining a low key in TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai’s Fatorda constituency, apparently to avoid any misgivings amongst the coalition partners, arch rival and BJP two-time former MLA Damu Naik and the Fatorda BJP mandal are bracing to make its presence felt in the constituency in a big way on April 6.
Come Friday and the saffron flags are expected to fly across Fatorda once again on the occasion of BJP Foundation Day on April 6. The Fatorda mandal headed by President Arul Phaldesai has chalked out an elaborate programme in Fatorda on April 6 not just to celebrate the party Foundation Day, but to apparently convey a message loud and clear to the political rivals that the BJP is still a force to reckon within the constituency presently represented by the TCP minister.
Party workers are expected to hoist the saffron party flag atop their houses across Fatorda, while the party flag will fly high at two public places “ at Gogol and Borda on the occasion. While Damu is personally expected to unfurl the party flag at Borda at a small public function, party-backed councillor Suganda Bandekar will do the honours at a similar progamme at Gogol.
Addressing the media, Arun Phaldesai said the block will draft a senior member at all the polling booths to guide the party rank and file and explain to them the party ideology and values. “We have chalked out two public functions at Borda and Gogol, which will be addressed by Damu Naik and Suganda Bandekar,” he said.
Besides, he said while workers will unfurl the party flags on their houses, around 4-5 public functions will be held at different places to mark the Foundation Day. “The Foundation Day is an important occasion for the party workers. The BJP had just two members in the Lok Sabha in the 1984 Lok Sabha election and is now enjoying a majority of its own in the current Lok Sabha. This shows the rise and rise of the BJP across the country,” he said.
Arun replied in the negative whether any senior party leaders will descend in Fatorda to partake and guide the party workers, saying “no senior leader will come since all the 40 constituencies will be busy involved in celebrating the Foundation Day”.
Ever since the bete noire Vijai Sardesai had joined hands to support Manohar Parrikar after the 2017 Assembly election, the BJP has been apparently lying low, only observing party’s important days and all Goa programmes, with sources in the know saying the party leadership is treading a cautious path to ensure that any political activity in Fatorda does not end up in antagonising the TCP minister.
