PANAJI
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and BJP president Damodar Naik on Monday stepped in to defuse unrest within the BJP's Sanguem unit over the proposed reservation of the Assembly constituency for Scheduled Tribes (STs), assuring senior minister Subhash Phal Dessai that the party would take the "right decision at the right time" regarding his political future.
The intervention followed Sunday's protest by hundreds of BJP workers and office-bearers outside Phal Dessai's residence, where they accused the party leadership of not taking them into confidence over the reservation exercise. While insisting they were not opposed to ST reservation, the workers voiced concern over the political future of non-ST leaders in the constituency.
The unrest had intensified after Naik publicly warned BJP MLAs against venturing into other constituencies, remarks widely seen as being directed at Phal Dessai after the minister indicated his preference for contesting from Curchorem, where the BJP already has a sitting MLA.
Sawant and Naik held a closed-door meeting with Phal Dessai, his supporters and representatives of the Sanguem BJP Mandal, after which all sides declared the issue resolved.
Following the meeting, Sawant described the episode as an emotional reaction to the expected reservation of the constituency. “There was only a misunderstanding. The people and workers of Sanguem have immense respect for Phal Dessai because of the work he has done for the constituency over the last 20 years. The expectation that the constituency will now be reserved for STs naturally created confusion and uneasiness, leading to political turbulence," the Chief Minister said.
He said both the MLA and the Sanguem Mandal had assured the leadership that they would abide by any future decision taken by the party regarding the constituency. Calling Phal Dessai a senior and important BJP leader, Sawant said he would "neither be ignored nor neglected".
"Phal Dessai is a senior and very important leader of the BJP. At the right time, the party will take the right decision for him. He will neither be ignored nor neglected. This is the clear assurance given by the party. They only need to trust the party and work together for the BJP's victory, which they have assured," Sawant said.
He also rejected reports of any apology, describing the episode as "a family matter within the party", and expressed confidence that the BJP would return to power with 30 seats in the 2027 Assembly elections.
Phal Dessai said that he will work for the party with whatever role and ensure that the seat is retained by BJP in 2027. "There was confusion and misunderstanding, which has now been settled,” he said, adding that the workers had never opposed ST reservation but were upset at not being consulted.
"I will give my 100 per cent to ensure that a BJP ST candidate is elected from Sanguem," he added.
Dismissing speculation over his recent visit to Curchorem, Phal Dessai said it had no political motive and reiterated his commitment to the BJP. "The party will take the right decision," he said.
BJP chief Naik said the controversy stemmed entirely from a misunderstanding. "There is no 'if' or 'but' anymore. The MLA and the Mandal will work together to ensure that the BJP retains the Sanguem seat," he said.
Reaffirming the BJP's organisational principles of "nation first, party second and self last", Naik also assured that Phal Dessai's contribution would be duly recognised with a "respectable position" within the party.
