the goan I network
MAPUSA
Stating that the BJP will win all four by-elections and the two parliamentary seats in the State, acting Speaker and Calangute MLA Michael Lobo on Thursday said the North Goa BJP candidate for Lok Sabha Shripad Naik would again win with a margin of over 1 lakh votes.
He also came out openly in support of BJP candidate Joshua D’Souza in Mapusa and campaigned with him in Ward 5 along with other supporters.
“People are very enthusiastic because the youngest candidate is contesting in Mapusa. What changes did not happen will happen now. My full support is with Joshua who, after getting elected, will get all the incomplete works done in Mapusa,” Lobo said.
The Calangute MLA turned out to be the star campaigner for the BJP candidate and joined him and his supporters for over an hour going from door to door in Ward 5
of Mapusa constituency.
Lobo said Chief Minister
Dr Pramod Sawant, besides all the MLAs from Bardez and all of the Mapxecars would back the BJP candidate in Mapusa.
“Mapusa means Bardez and Bardez means North Goa. People of North Goa come to Mapusa every day and whatever facilities we need to provide to the people will be taken up by our new MLA,” he said.
The Calangute MLA further said people have already decided and BJP will win all the four bypolls and the two Lok Sabha seats in the State.
“Our Lok Sabha candidate, Shripad Naik will once again win the North Goa seat with a margin of over 1 lakh votes,” he said.
During the campaign, Lobo visited the house of former speaker and ex-Mapusa MLA Surendra Sirsat along with Joshua.
“He (Lobo) came to my house along with the BJP candidate and their supporters while canvassing in the ward. He did not say anything,” Sirsat told The Goan.
Are BJP leaders rattled by Kandolkar’s support base?
MAPUSA: Facing stiff challenge from the opposition Congress, Calangute MLA Michael Lobo may have come under pressure from the saffron party to campaign for the BJP candidate in Mapusa.
On record though, Lobo said he was not under pressure from any quarters and that he had gone to canvass for the party candidate in Mapusa.
“Our candidate, Joshua D’Souza, is getting good support from the people of Mapusa and he will win. All the BJP MLAs from Bardez will work for him,” Lobo said.
Sources informed that in a recent meeting between Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and the ruling councillors of Mapusa, some councillors pitched for Lobo campaigning for the BJP candidate in Mapusa.
BJP’s Organizing Secretary Satish Dhond was also present at the meeting.
Sources also informed that although most ruling councillors campaigned along with the BJP candidate, some were not going all out for him.
At the meeting late Sunday night, the organizing secretary directed the councillors to give their best for the victory of the BJP candidate in Mapusa.
Sources said senior BJP leaders were rattled with the support and traction that Congress candidate Sudhir Kandolkar was getting in Mapusa.
The BJP leaders were also aware of the resentment among a section of the BJP mandal in Mapusa. The chief minister, who is the party’s observer for the Mapusa by-election, has been doing the rounds in the constituency every two days to stay updated on the electioneering.
