Sanguem MLA Subhash Phaldessai during a victory rally in Sanguem with his supporters after his election as legislator.
SANGUEM
There have been growing calls in Sanguem to demand the inclusion of newly elected Sanguem MLA Subhash Phaldessai in the cabinet.
Speaking at the Sanguem Bus Stand after a victory rally on Friday, local leader Josinho D’Costa said while Phaldessai is capable in promoting development even if he continues to be an MLA, allocation of ministerial berth to Phaldessai would help him better undertake development works without having to approach others.
Other speakers said Phaldessai is a highly educated leader and deserved to be elevated as minister in the current term, as he would do justice to any portfolio allotted to him.
They claimed it would be grave injustice to the people from Sanguem if the BJP failed to provide a ministerial berth to Phaldessai.
Incidentally, Sanguem constituency had its last minister in 1994 when Pandu Vassu Naik was appointed as minister for forest and mines. Since then, Sanguem MLA has not had any of its legislators being elevated as ministers.
Addressing the gathering, Phaldessai assured voters that he would do his best to persuade party leaders for a ministerial berth as it would help him get development works with ease.
Thanking voters from Sanguem and party workers for getting him elected, Phaldessai assured to get the desired development works in the constituency during the current term.
He appealed to voters from Sanguem, irrespective of party affiliations, to approach him for their genuine works.
He, however, castigated a few workers from the BJP camp who had worked against him during the elections.
Locals claim the development of Sanguem constituency has suffered for two decades even though the constituency has had successive winning candidates from BJP in four of five assembly terms in the last 25 years.
Except for the last term, Sanguem constituency has had a BJP MLA since 1999 when Prabhakar Gaonkar was elected the first BJP MLA from Sanguem.
In the February 14 polls, Phaldessai defeated independent candidate Savitri Kavlekar by a margin of over 1,500 votes.
This is the second term of Subhash Phaldessai as MLA from Sanguem constituency, after he was earlier elected from Sanguem constituency in 2012.
