PANAJI
The entry of now former Goa Forward MLA Jayesh Salgaonkar into the BJP is only the beginning, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Friday, claiming that the ruling party was receiving a virtual flood of requests from political leaders and workers for joining the ruling party.
"There are still many who are scheduled to join us. They are asking us, when should we join? We have asked them to wait for some time, as we are inducting people one by one," Sawant said at a function held in Panaji where Salgaonkar joined the BJP along with his supporters. Salgaonkar had resigned as a Goa Forward MLA late on Thursday night.
"Over the next two, two and a half months there will be many who will join the BJP. BJP doors are open for all (political) workers, leaders," Sawant also said, while addressing a crowd of Salgaonkar's supporters.
In an attempt to reach out to disgruntled BJP workers in party's now-disbanded Saligao block, who raised slogans against the BJP and told off the party's state leadership after being informed about Salgaonkar's entry into the party on Thursday, Sawant said that Salgaonkar would take them along and work along with them for the BJP standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the karyakartas.
"Our old workers in Saligao may be a little upset. But we are confident in our party workers. Jayesh has said that he has not joined as a leader but as a party worker, who will work shoulder-to-shoulder with them for the development of the constituency," Sawant said.
Making a comment on the political buzz related to representation to the Bahujan Samaj in the upper echelons of power and politics, Sawant said that the BJP was a party for the Bahujans, claiming that Salgaonkar's entry into the ruling outfit was proof of it.
"Some were using Jayesh's name to claim that the party (he belonged to) was a Bahujan party. Some said, Jayesh is with me, (so our's) is a Bahujan party. BJP is a party of Bahujans. Stop playing politics using someone else's name," Sawant said, taking pot-shots at Vijai Sardessai, president of the Goa Forward party, to which Salgaonkar belonged till late on Thursday.
Sawant also claimed that there was no corruption charge against his MLAs, while comparing his regime to previous non-BJP regimes.
"There is nothing to criticise which is why (opposition) is making baseless allegations. Tell Digambar Kamat to raise a single issue of corruption against us. Ask anyone. There is not a single allegation of corruption against any of our MLAs. Look at what was happening when they were in government," he said.
Sawant also took pot-shots at the Trinamool Congress, adding that Goans were capable of carving out a new dawn for themselves.
"We do not need others to start a new dawn. Goan youth, Goan people are capable of doing that," Sawant said.
"They talk about culture here. Look at what is happening in their states. Atrocities are being committed against women, people. They are dividing people on the lines of caste, religion," he added.
