PANAJI
With three legislators having resigned and joined other parties ahead of the assembly elections, Civil Supplies Minister and Priol's independent MLA Govind Gaude is also likely to join the BJP.
While sources said Gaude is expected to join the BJP soon following the induction of former chief minister Ravi Naik into the party on Tuesday, Gaude however declined to comment if and when he would join the BJP.
"I came to meet Chief Minister Pramod Sawant. Speculations are going on from the beginning. I have been with the BJP government right from the beginning for the last five years. Let the proposal come, we can decide later,” said Gaude.
He said there was some fake news spread that he was joining TMC.
"There had been fake news that I have resigned an MLA and am joining the TMC. Same way, the news that I am joining BJP is also fake,” he said.
Gaude had won the 2017 election with the support of the BJP and the party had not fielded a candidate against Gaude.
Gaude had categorically denied having any meetings with the Trinamool Congress but admitted that the Aam Aadmi Party had approached him.
After that, Gaude held closed-door meetings with BJP MLAs and ministers, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national general secretary in-charge of the Goa desk C T Ravi, fuelling speculation about the likelihood of him joining the BJP ahead of the 2022 polls.
