PANAJI
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday described for the first time, the one moment which inspired him to join politics.
When he was 16 years old, Sawant once bunked class to watch former Chief Minister late Manohar Parrikar address a Bharatiya Janata Party state executive meeting.
Just looking at Parrikar speak, an inspired Sawant told the audience at the ongoing National Panchayat Parliament, would later go on to change the course of his life and land him in active politics and later the Chief Minister's post.
While recounting the personal anecdote, Sawant also underlined the importance of dreams when it comes to politicians.
"While working in politics it is important to dream. Why am I saying this? I had a dream when I was 16-years-old. When I would look at Manohar Parrikar, I also wanted to be an MLA," Sawant told the audience of village panchayat and zilla panchayat representatives.
"I had bunked my lecture in Class XI and had gone to a hall, where a BJP executive meeting was taking place. And I saw Manohar Parrikar addressing a speech and I felt that I too want to become an MLA. Because I saw this dream, in 2012 I could be an MLA. Manohar Parrikar has given Goa youth leadership," Sawant said.
The Chief Minister also urged the grassroots elected representatives present at the event to dream big in order to make it big in politics.
"Those who are in politics should dream about the next step. A panch should want to become a sarpanch, sarpanch and panchas should want to become Zilla Panchayat members. And panchas, sarpanchas and ZPs, how many want to become MLAs? It is important for us to dream. If we do not dream, it will not come become a reality," Sawant said.
The Chief Minister also said that the February 2022 state assembly polls would provide a lot of opportunity to grass roots politicians, including elected representatives to test their dreams as well as their mettle.
"Of course everyone will get an opportunity now. February 2022. It is not too far. There is an opportunity in February 2022 for everyone to test their fate, through various political parties. And now there are a bit too many political parties which have come. Am I right? Only 40 can become MLAs, but a lot of people can contest," Sawant said.
