MAPUSA
Former customs officer and BJP member Mayur Sawkar on Thursday made it clear that he will contest the upcoming Assembly election from Mapusa, irrespective of whether the party gives him a ticket, while keeping open the possibility of joining an opposition party.
Sawkar, who has already launched his campaign in the constituency, said he expects the BJP to field him from Mapusa but asserted that denial of the party ticket would not stop him from
contesting.
“I am a BJP member and therefore expect a BJP ticket for the Mapusa seat. Whether the BJP gives me the ticket or not, I will be in the fray in the ensuing Assembly election from Mapusa,” Sawkar said at a press conference in Mapusa.
Asked whether he would accept a ticket from an opposition party, Sawkar said he would take a decision after consulting his core committee.
Former councillor Komal D’Souza and Khorlim resident Prashant Thakur also spoke at the press conference.
Explaining his decision to enter active politics, Sawkar said he was frustrated by what he described as the lack of development in Mapusa over the past several decades.
“Mapusa has been left behind for the last 25 years. Forget Ravindra Bhavan, we have not even got basic amenities. Roads are not proper in Mapusa and there are some areas which do not even have roads. I am fed up. So I thought of contesting elections to bring about a change,” he said.
Sawkar said he had prepared a blueprint for Mapusa’s development, including measures to address the town’s parking problem.
He also blamed Mapusa MLA Joshua D’Souza for the alleged lack of development in the constituency, saying the MLA had failed to bring about the desired changes.
Asked whether the BJP should also share the blame since the D’Souzas have represented Mapusa on the BJP ticket for nearly 25 years, Sawkar said the responsibility lay not only with the party but also with the elected representative to take the initiative.
“Other BJP MLAs have developed their constituencies much better,” he said.
Sawkar also raised the issue of waste management in Mapusa ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi. He claimed that garbage had not been collected from several areas despite the festival being only two days away.
“I sent my men, vehicles and grass-cutting machines to clear garbage in many areas in Mapusa,” he said.
