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THE GOAN NETWORK
PANAJI
Union Ayush Minister and sitting MP from North Goa, Shripad Naik in an exclusive interview to The Goan expressed confidence on his victory in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls with a thumping majority, widening the gap of vote margin by 1.50 lakh votes as compared to the 1.06 lakh votes of 2014.
The senior BJP leader who has handled tourism, health and Ayush ministry in the cabinet at Centre, is keeping a hectic schedule for the last 22 days and has combed 20
assembly constituencies so far, covering one a day. There have been around 15-20 booth workers meets so far.
“It has been a 9 am to 10 pm schedule on the ground. However, after reaching home by 11 am, meetings with the party karyakartas go on well past midnight and this has been my schedule for the past couple of weeks,” says the Ayush minister who has reduced his sleep time to just five hours (1 pm to 6 am) ahead of Lok Sabha polls.
Admitting that the saffron party is yet to come out from the poignant loss of its prominent face, former Defense minister and four-term Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar on a national level, Shripad maintained that the local karyakartas have pumped in them the same feeling of ‘josh’ that their dear Bhai (Parrikar) spoke proudly about until his last breath.
Trained from the grassroot level under the able leadership of Parrikar, these party workers are seen taking extra pains to reach out to each and every voter in all the constituencies. As a tribute to the disciplinarian who is no more, they are trying to make up for his absence in a positive way.
As the leader next in line in seniority after ‘Bhai’, the responsibility to take the party agenda ahead now lies on the shoulders of Bhau (as Shripad is fondly called in Goa).
When asked how he looks at it, Shripad affirmed, “Yes, the responsibility has increased manifold and everyone is working day and night to strengthen the party at all levels,” said Shripad, expressing confidence that BJP will ‘cent per cent’ come to power in the Centre this time too.
Asked whether the promises in the 2014 manifesto are delivered to the fullest extent, Shripad replied in the affirmative, “The status today is that of completion of projects that were initiated. Focusing on the development projects, we wish to highlight that the MP fund has been utilized to the fullest extent, thereby fulfilling the promises. Most of the projects that were initiated have been satisfactorily completed with only a handful being in the final state of completion. We want people to come up with more project proposals which can be implemented in our next term.”
Touching upon sensitive issues like mining, health and tourism, Shripad pointed out to the PM's recent State visit wherein he promised to take the issue of mining seriously and find a decent, legal, amicable solution to the problem.
Asked if the mining dependent voters are satisfied with this promise, Shripad observed that their number comprises to around 70-80,000 and that they must keep their faith in the PM and BJP, intact.
“Goenkars must trust BJP. It is the only party that can resolve the mining issue,” claimed Shripad.
The ministry of Ayush, government of India was established in 2014 to ensure the development and propaganda of Ayush systems of medicine and health care, said Shripad who has been heading it.
“It is the need of the hour that our traditional systems of medicines like Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH) are given due importance. We have laid the foundation of Ayush hospitals, one in each district (North and South) in Goa. At Dhargal, All India Institute of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy (AIIAY&N) is coming up for which Rs 301 crore have already been sanctioned. At par with AIIMS, this institute with a research centre and a 100-bedded hospital, will offer PG and PhD courses,” shared Shripad, adding, “The State government will boost tourism sector in the coming years and the Central government has given green signal for this.”
Concluding on the expected win of his party, Shripad claimed, “Voters are wise and vigilant. They don’t fall prey to false promises. They don’t succumb to religious pressures or politically correct ideology. The victory would be largely decided by the patriotic and nationalist voter populace which is on the rise across the country and this mood of the country will clearly reflect in the 2019 poll results, stamping BJP as the single largest party in the Indian parliament.”
“It has been a 9 am to 10 pm schedule on the ground. However, after reaching home by 11 am, meetings with the party karyakartas go on well past midnight and this has been my schedule for the past couple of weeks,” says the Ayush minister who has reduced his sleep time to just five hours (1 pm to 6 am) ahead of Lok Sabha polls.
Admitting that the saffron party is yet to come out from the poignant loss of its prominent face, former Defense minister and four-term Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar on a national level, Shripad maintained that the local karyakartas have pumped in them the same feeling of ‘josh’ that their dear Bhai (Parrikar) spoke proudly about until his last breath.
Trained from the grassroot level under the able leadership of Parrikar, these party workers are seen taking extra pains to reach out to each and every voter in all the constituencies. As a tribute to the disciplinarian who is no more, they are trying to make up for his absence in a positive way.
As the leader next in line in seniority after ‘Bhai’, the responsibility to take the party agenda ahead now lies on the shoulders of Bhau (as Shripad is fondly called in Goa).
When asked how he looks at it, Shripad affirmed, “Yes, the responsibility has increased manifold and everyone is working day and night to strengthen the party at all levels,” said Shripad, expressing confidence that BJP will ‘cent per cent’ come to power in the Centre this time too.
Asked whether the promises in the 2014 manifesto are delivered to the fullest extent, Shripad replied in the affirmative, “The status today is that of completion of projects that were initiated. Focusing on the development projects, we wish to highlight that the MP fund has been utilized to the fullest extent, thereby fulfilling the promises. Most of the projects that were initiated have been satisfactorily completed with only a handful being in the final state of completion. We want people to come up with more project proposals which can be implemented in our next term.”
Touching upon sensitive issues like mining, health and tourism, Shripad pointed out to the PM's recent State visit wherein he promised to take the issue of mining seriously and find a decent, legal, amicable solution to the problem.
Asked if the mining dependent voters are satisfied with this promise, Shripad observed that their number comprises to around 70-80,000 and that they must keep their faith in the PM and BJP, intact.
“Goenkars must trust BJP. It is the only party that can resolve the mining issue,” claimed Shripad.
The ministry of Ayush, government of India was established in 2014 to ensure the development and propaganda of Ayush systems of medicine and health care, said Shripad who has been heading it.
“It is the need of the hour that our traditional systems of medicines like Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH) are given due importance. We have laid the foundation of Ayush hospitals, one in each district (North and South) in Goa. At Dhargal, All India Institute of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy (AIIAY&N) is coming up for which Rs 301 crore have already been sanctioned. At par with AIIMS, this institute with a research centre and a 100-bedded hospital, will offer PG and PhD courses,” shared Shripad, adding, “The State government will boost tourism sector in the coming years and the Central government has given green signal for this.”
Concluding on the expected win of his party, Shripad claimed, “Voters are wise and vigilant. They don’t fall prey to false promises. They don’t succumb to religious pressures or politically correct ideology. The victory would be largely decided by the patriotic and nationalist voter populace which is on the rise across the country and this mood of the country will clearly reflect in the 2019 poll results, stamping BJP as the single largest party in the Indian parliament.”
