MARGAO
A fierce political war spanning over a decade and half; five Assembly battles and as many face offs at the local municipal polls throws up a moot question – how would Congress-turned-BJP MLA Digambar Kamat gel with the core Margao BJP cadre as he returns to the party-fold after 17 long years.
Kamat’s entry into the BJP fold did not evoke a whisper of protest nor was welcomed with open arms by the BJP city-based core workers, be it the Margao Mandal or local leaders, who had crossed swords against the MLA over the last 17 years. No one knows better than the seven-time Margao MLA that the eerie silence in the saffron camp over his entry has more to do with the party discipline than any sudden change in heart amongst party core workers.
In a scenario, where even BJP top leaders had to bite the dust in the 2021 municipal polls, right from Margao Mandal chief, Rupesh Mahatme, long-time foes Sharmad Raiturkar, Sunil Naik, and others, and not to mention ex-Dy CM Manohar Ajgaonkar in the 2022 Assembly election, none other than Kamat knows for sure that he has a task cut out -- win over his long-time rivals and strengthen his position in the constituency.
Local political observers say that it may take some time for Kamat to bring together long-time rivals work with him, but a seasoned campaigner, known for his acumen in handling adversities with ease, Kamat has begun his new innings in the saffron party in right earnest.
He has not stopped invoking the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, an unifying force for the BJP cadre, behind his Ghar wapsi. By invoking Modi’s name again and again, giving the PM the credit for restoring the self-respect of Indians across the world, political observers say Kamat is reaching out to the hardcore cadre, suffocated the most by his entry into the party. In fact, celebrating Prime Minister Modi’s birthday during the weekend with bete noire, MMC Councilor Mahesh Amonkar, by feeding him with Modi’s birthday cake is seen as an attempt to mend fences with bitter enemies inside the saffron camp.
That’s not all. Kamat’s stress on “my God’s Prasad” that has paved his way to quit the Congress to embrace the BJP, is also seen by observers as another overt and covert attempt by the willy leader to address the core voter base in the BJP.
The seven-time Margao MLA’s decision not to make a mention of the 2005 political revolt against the BJP resulting in the downfall of the late Manohar Parrikar government, however, seemed to have still not gone down well with late Parrikar’s well-wishers and followers in Margao. Having closely worked with the city-based cadre, boosting their morale to take on Kamat for close to a decade and half, Parrikar’s followers and well-wishers were looking forward to the Margao MLA to at least sound apologetic for the 2005 political episode before beginning the new innings. “No one is seeking any apology from Kamat for bringing down the Parrikar government. The least the MLA could have done after returning to the party on his own volition, is to accept the “mistake”, remarked a senior party worker.
Another hard-core worker remarked: “The party cadre is left with no option than to accept the decision of the party leadership. Hence, we have made no noise over Kamat’s entry. It’s now up to the MLA how he goes about integrating himself and his workers into the BJP fold. The exercise will take some time before the original cadre and Kamat and his workers gel and share the common platform”.
