Captured by : KHOT-1
Rebellion erupted within the BJP in Canacona and Mayem constituencies on Saturday, barely hours after the state leadership denied party tickets to its senior leaders, Speaker Anant Shet and Sports Minister Ramesh Tawadkar.
Furious after being snubbed by the party leadership, both Shet and Tawadkar were determined to go ahead and contest the 2017 polls from their respective constituencies, with the backing of their respective supporters.
While Shet has virtually decided to contest as independent, Tawadkar claims to have received offers from many parties and will take a decision on which party to contest from, within the next two days.
The local BJP blocks also stood solidly behind Shet and Tawadkar, with the entire Canacona BJP block, mahila mandal, youth wing and all 56 booth committees resigning from the party on Saturday.
The Mayem BJP block and youth wing also rallied around Shet, pledging their support to him in the polls.
Hitting out at his BJP party for humiliating him by denying the party ticket, a livid Sports Minister and Canacona MLA Ramesh Tawadkar said he would contest elections from Canacona constituency on any one party, which he would decide within the next two days.
Speaking to mediapersons at his residence on Saturday, Tawadkar accused the party leaders of 'use-and-throw' policy, adding that no person would accept such humiliation from the party leadership.
“I had understood the mood of the party when Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar requested me on Friday morning to pay heed his 'advice'. I flatly refused saying, 'I don't need your advice any more', since my several karyakartas and I who had worked with dedication for the party have been humiliated,” said a visibly upset Tawadkar.
“Till now, the party had been giving me only positive expectations and wanted me to campaign for the party. I am taking this denial of the party ticket in my stride, as this cruel act by party leaders has given me an opportunity to showcase my leadership skills.”
“I will not be taking this backstabbing as the defeat of me and my karyakartas, but I see it as the defeat of the party leadership. I accept the decision that the BJP has denied me the party ticket to contest from Canacona constituency. I will, however, contest in Canacona constituency, but my stand on which party or symbol to contest from, will be known in two days,” said Tawadkar.
Claiming that his political life has been an open book as he hails from the worker class, Tawadkar claimed that BJP's mindless action had given him an opportunity to showcase his political and social leadership.
“The party's decision to 'use and throw' stands exposed now, as they do not have respect for the dedication and sincerity of karyakartas. Any person with self-respect will not accept such humiliation and all my karyakartas are firm in contesting this election against the BJP nominated candidate.”
Responding to Poi Khot's reported statements that he had worked for BJP and had got Tawadkar elected in 2012, Tawadkar flatly denied the claim.
“He had shown support by coming only once on the election stage in Poinguinim, whereas his supporters had worked against party but could not defeat me. This is an open secret and even BJP workers know this,” said Tawadkar.
To a query on whether BJP had worked out an arrangement, whereby Tawadkar would contest the 2012 polls while Khot was supposed to contest the 2017 polls in a unified Canacona constituency, Tawadkar replied in the negative.
“I had bagged the 2012 ticket due to my sheer party work and huge rapport with the masses. My winnability forced the party to give me the party ticket in 2012,” said Tawadkar.
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Khot, Zantye
make final cut
* Vijay Pai Khot and Pravin Zantye reach BJP headquarters in Panaji to collect their ‘B’ forms
* It virtually means stamp of party approval for their candidature in Canacona and Mayem
* The party is also likely to back Govind Gaude in Priol, who is expected to contest independently
>> See pg 3
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Shet threatens
to fight polls
as independent
* Anant Shet has threatened to resign and contest as an independent candidate
* He has been virtually denied the BJP ticket to contest from Mayem constituency
* Shet addressed a large number of supporters who had met him at his residence
* The meeting was attended by Mayem BJP Block President and other local BJP leaders
>> See pg 3
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En masse resignations
in support of Tawadkar
CANACONA: Furious with the BJP for having denied the party ticket to Sports Minister and Canacona MLA Ramesh Tawadkar from Canacona constituency, the entire Canacona BJP block, mahila mandal and youth wing resigned from the party on Saturday.
In a further blow to the BJP, all 56 booth presidents “ each with 11 committees members “ also resigned en masse to express their solidarity with Tawadkar, who was snubbed by the party leadership.
Even before the BJP could make an official announcement on the party ticket, a huge number of BJP supporters converged at the residence of Canacona MLA and Sports Minister Ramesh Tawadkar on Saturday evening.
While Canacona BJP Block General Secretary Vishal Desai and Vice President Sanjay Komarpant faxed in their resignations to the party, the block president Mahesh Naik, a close aide of Tawadkar, was presently unwell and could not take a decision on his resignation.
Canacona Block treasurer Mahesh Warik and 36 office bearers of the Canacona block also signed their resignation letters by assembling outside Tawadkar's office.
Expressing their solidarity with Tawadkar, 26 mahila mandal members along with Mandal Adhyaksha Vinda Satarkar also signed their resignation letters. Others following in the same manner included 30 BJP Yuva Yuva Sangh members, including their president Pankaj Naik Gaonkar and Secretary Sanju Pagi.
“The BJP does not need karyakartas in Canacona. If the party wanted to deliver its draconian verdict, where was the need to have so many one-to-one interactions with party workers and then with Tawadkar? We are fully working for the success of Tawadkar,” stated Komarpant, while speaking to mediapersons outside Tawadkar's residence.
Added Warik: “The party has put us in great jeopardy. On the one hand, we need the organisation, but how can we go against Tawadkar who himself kept BJP's flag flying high for several years? We have no other option but to go with Tawadkar.”
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Khot's supporters stage 'jubiliant' rally
CANACONA: A jubilant former MLA Vijay Pai Khot along with his supporters staged a rally in Canacona on Saturday, after Khot returned from the BJP headquarters in Panaji with a letter confirming that he had been allotted the party ticket to contest the Canacona assembly seat.
Reports that Poi Khot had been called to the BJP head office in Panaji caused jubilation among his supporters and they were eagerly waiting to receive their leader with the letter confirming the BJP ticket.
On learning about his arrival to Canacona, hundreds of his supporters received him at Gulem at about 3 pm and forced Khot to stage a rally in Canacona. The rally proceed first to Agonda, before moving across the municipal area and then assembling at Khot's residence.
Canacona Municipal Council Chairperson Prathana Naik Gaunkar, Dy Chairperson Samita Dhuri, Councillors Chaya Komarpant, Divakar Pagui and Shamsundar Desai, were also present at the rally.
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