PANAJI
With State Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) still undecided on ticket to Mayem MLA Anant Shet, agitated party workers from Mayem on Thursday gheraoed media cell convener Premanand Mahambrey outside BJP office in Panaji demanding candidature for Shet in the upcoming Assembly polls.
In his bid to pacify the workers, Mahambrey said, “The party will shortlist mandal members and call them for another meeting on January 8. If any member wants to raise any query or inform something, they can seek prior appointments.”
The members of BJP’s core committee had earlier held a meeting with the Mayem mandal committee members which also witnessed heated discussions between Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and Mayemcars. Sources also informed that members were questioned on why they did not want Pravin Zantye as a candidate in Mayem, who is contemplating joining the BJP soon.
Mayem MLA Anant Shet however declined to comment stating that the party leaders would take the final decision.
“No comments. Party leaders will decide everything”, said Shet.
Earlier, Party’s core committee members also had meeting with mandal committees of Pernem, Calangute, Poriem, Curtorim and Quepem.
While three names came up for party candidature in Pernem, sources informed that present Pernem MLA Rajendra Arlekar has been shortlisted by the party as the candidate after a lengthy meeting with mandal members. The other two names in the race were Pernem Councillor Siddhesh Pednekar and Shyam Dhargalkar.
However, sources also stated that Parrikar is likely to visit Pernem constituency on January 9 to formally begin with Arlekar’s campaign for the polls.
The Calangute constituency, however, had no two choices over the Party’s candidature with Michael Lobo being the only choice of mandal members.
Sources however informed that in the Quepem constituency meeting, seven names were suggested including that of Prakash Velip and Sanzil D’Costa.
In Poriem too, three names came up for the candidature including that of BJP’s 2012 candidate Vishwajit Krishanarao Rane, Ganpat Gaonkar and Vasudev Parab.
MGP withdraws
support to govt
A day after the code of conduct for the upcoming State Legislative Assembly polls came into force, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) withdrew its support to the BJP-led State Government.
MGP has now decided to fight the polls independently and also resolved that their chief ministerial candidate would be MGP senior leader Sudin Dhavalikar.
Addressing a press conference after MGP’s central committee meeting, Party President Deepak Dhavalikar said, “We had said that we would decide on the alliance with BJP once the code of conduct comes into force. In the meeting of the Party’s central committee held today, we have taken a resolution to withdraw the support to the BJP-led State Government. We have decided to contest the elections independently.”
