the goan I network
MARGAO
Where’s Savitri Kavlekar, wife of Babu Kavlekar, the Congress-turned-BJP MLA and Deputy Chief Minister in the Pramod Sawant government?
This question has come to haunt the Congress leaders from South Goa district as well as Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC). Both have been trying to find out from their sources Savitri’s status in the party after her husband walked out of the party along with nine other Congress MLAs to embrace the BJP.
When The Goan called up Savitri to find out whether she has decided to stay put in the Congress or has left the party, she sought some time to speak up her mind on the matter. “I will reply to your question later this week, may be in two days time,” Savitri said.
Incidentally, notwithstanding the political developments, Savitri continues to be the Secretary of the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee headed by Girish Chodankar.
When The Goan called Girish to find out about Savitri’s status in the party, he said she has neither quit the post nor the party, indicating she was very much part of the Congress. “I have spoken to South Goa District President Joe Dias as well as the Congress in-charge of Sanguem Assembly constituency, and what I have gathered is that Savitri is very much part of the Congress party,” Girish said.
With husband Babu now Deputy Chief Minister in the BJP-led government, the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) meeting may discuss Savitri’s status at its forthcoming meeting to be chaired by Girish.
While District President Joe Dias has been quick to expel Babu Kavlekar and four other MLAs from South Goa after they embraced the BJP on July 10, sources said the party has not contemplated on any action against Savitri for the reason that she was not seen anywhere with her husband after he embraced the BJP.
“We have gathered information that Savitri was not present at a meeting called by her husband at his residence after joining the BJP,” Joe said.
Savitri had contested from Sanguem on the Congress ticket in the 2017 Assembly election, but her debut in electoral politics had come a cropper. That Savitri had not given up her dream of making it to the Legislative Assembly from Sanguem had become evident in the recently held Lok Sabha elections when she virtually led the Congress campaign for party candidate
Francisco Sardinha.
