PANAJI
Expressing displeasure over Pandurang Madkaikar’s entry into the Bharatiya Janata Party, members of the Party’s Cumbharjua Mandal and Yuva Morcha demanded a ‘go-ahead’ from Union AYUSH Minister Shripad Naik for his son Siddhesh to contest as an independent candidate to defeat Madkaikar, if he is denied BJP’s candidature from Cumbharjua constituency.
Over 50 of BJP workers from the constituency marched to Naik’s house in support of Siddhesh, whom he assured to take up the matter with BJP’s core committee which is likely to meet on Wednesday. Pandurang Madkaikar, who joined BJP on December 22, is expected to be BJP’s candidate in Cumbharjua.
Assuring Party workers, Shripad Naik said, “Give me some time. I will convey your sentiments to the party. Let them take a decision. I am not the final authority. There is no need for you to get disappointed. Things have just started now.”
Speaking earlier, Nilam Parab of Cumbharjua Yuva Morcha said, “We have no other option and we do not want to support any other candidate. The Party has brought us till here and disappointed us by inducting Madkaikar. If the party denies him (Siddhesh) the ticket, he should at least contest as an independent. He should not back out now.”
Demanding assurance from the AYUSH Minister, another member said, “You only tell us if he will get BJP’s ticket. Else, we will tell him to contest as an independent. There is no looking back now. You just give us an assurance that if he is denied a ticket, you will give him a go-ahead to contest as an independent candidate. We will elect him to power.”
The members also warned Siddhesh not to work for Party’s victory is he denied the candidature.
Madkaikar joining the BJP has resulted into resentment among Siddhesh’s supporters in the constituency. The father-son duo had also remained absent at the Party’s Vijay Sankalp Mahamelava which was attended by nearly 10,000 people.
