PANAJI
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which had earlier indicated it will not contest in three of the eight assembly segments of Salcete has seemingly changed tact with its State president, Sadanand Tanavade announcing on Monday that the party will declare its list of 39 candidates on Wednesday.
The party's parliamentary board is scheduled to meet in Delhi on Wednesday after which the list of 39 candidates will be declared in one go.
"The meeting will be held on January 19 followed by declaration of 39 candidates in one go. The announcement will be made from Delhi,” Tanavade said.
Earlier in the day, the BJP in a statement hit out at the Goa Forward Party (GFP) which is in alliance with the Congress over what it called its "Sawantwadi" jibe at Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.
It said that in a social media post published by the GFP with their symbol and a large photo of Vijai Sardesai, the Fatorda MLA is seen with his fists raised, and the post asks if Goa needs “Sawantwadi.”
“This is nothing but an abhorrent attempt by the INC and its allies GFP to create a casteist divide amongst the people of Goa," the BJP said, adding that when they have nothing else to offer and nothing to fall back on, they have chosen this casteist line of attack.
Terming it malicious and a violation of the Model Code of Conduct, the BJP said the post tries to ridicule Sawant by questioning his origin and portraying him as belonging to Sawantwadi in Maharashtra.
"Dr Sawant is a proud Goan, born in Bicholim and has spent all his life serving the public of Goa,” the statement released by the BJP said.
Pointing out that Sardesai himself was born in Buenos Aires, the BJP asked: Does that make Vijai Sardesai any less Goan and more Argentinian?"
It is not just an attack on Sawant by the GFP but an attempt to malign the “Sawant” community living in Goa, the BJP said.
