MAPUSA
In yet another flip-flop, State BJP president Sadanand Tanavade said the party has decided to field candidates in all the 40 constituencies in the State even as the BJP’s Central Parliamentary Board will be meeting on Wednesday after which the final list of candidates will be declared.
Senior BJP leaders of the State including Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and State BJP president Sadanand Tanavade have flown to Delhi and will attend the parliamentary board meeting.
“This is the first time we are contesting in all 40 seats. In the past, we did not field candidates in some constituencies but this time we are fielding candidates in all the constituencies including Benaulim,” Tanavade said, after attending the State election committee meeting on Tuesday.
On Monday, Tanavade had announced that the party will contest in 39 seats while some days ago the party leadership had indicated that it will not contest in three constituencies of Salcete.
In the last week, the State BJP leadership held a series of meetings to discuss the names recommended by various Mandals from across the State in a bid to finalise the list of candidates to be sent to the parliamentary board.
“In some places, only one name has been recommended while there are other places where two or more names have also been recommended,” the BJP president informed.
“The parliamentary board will discuss the recommended names and release the final list of candidates on Wednesday evening. They may release the entire list or…It depends on the board,” he added.
The State BJP unit has been facing internal dissent over candidate selection in at least half-a-dozen seats.
However, Tanavade expressed confidence that BJP will be able to quell any dissension within the party if any.
“We don’t see any rebellion among the ticket aspirants but even if there is, we will try to convince our workers to back the party decision,” he said.
He also said that there was no confusion about fielding a candidate in the Bicholim constituency.
“Rajesh Patnekar has not spoken to me, so I cannot comment on it,” he said while reacting to reports that Patnekar had expressed his wish not to contest the election on health grounds.
