PORVORIM
The two constituencies of Saligao and Porvorim have a lot in common.
Both constituencies are adjacent to each other and both share the Porvorim plateau, a rapidly developing area with huge business potential.
And now, both Saligao and Porvorim constituencies have found themselves in a similar political situation of twists and turns.
First, consider political developments in the two constituencies over the last five years.
In 2017, Rohan Khaunte was elected MLA of Porvorim and Jayesh Salgaonkar was elected MLA of Saligao. Both extended support to the BJP to form the government and both were duly rewarded with cabinet berths.
Two years later, both Khaunte and Salgaonkar were dropped from the cabinet and turned into fierce critics and opponents of the State government, the BJP leadership and party workers.
Now, jump to the present and both Khaunte and Salgaonkar have resigned as MLAs within days of each other and have joined the BJP. Both have suddenly turned into fierce supporters of the State government and the BJP leadership.
But the consequences of their twists and turns have led to another similarity: groups of upset BJP workers in both constituencies.
Several leaders and party workers in Saligao and Porvorim constituencies have expressed outrage over the induction of two "friends-turned-foes-turned-friends" of the BJP and have publicly vowed to oppose both Khaunte and Salgaonkar at the upcoming elections.
Both Khaunte and Salgaonkar have an uphill task ahead of them, in their mission to pacify and appease the many disgruntled BJP workers in their respective constituencies and to win them over, ahead of the upcoming elections.
When office bearers of Saligao BJP block and other committees were called by BJP State President Sadanand Tanavade to inform of Salgaonkar’s induction into BJP, they vociferously opposed his induction and Tanavade promptly dissolved the Saligao BJP block and other committees.
Aggrieved BJP supporters from Saligao constituency then convened a meeting at Verem on December 5 under the banner ‘Together for Saligao’ and shortlisted two of their candidates, Kedar Naik and Rupesh Naik, to take on Salgaonkar, should he contest on the BJP ticket from Saligao constituency.
“We stand by our decision at the meeting in Verem. Almost all BJP karyakartas from the Saligao constituency are hurt. We will shortly announce our candidate to contest under the banner ‘Together for Saligao’,” said Amarnath Govekar, former sarpanch and sitting panch of Pilerne-Marra.
On the other hand, Khaunte’s induction into the BJP has split party workers in the Porvorim constituency.
“Loyal leaders and karyakaratas like me who have stuck with BJP through thick and thin are disappointed by our party high command’s decision without taking us into confidence. No loyal karyakarta will want to work for Khaunte if he is given the party ticket,” said BJP North Goa District President Mahananda Asnodkar.
A senior BJP leader told The Goan that Khaunte is an opportunist who joined the party just before elections as he knew he would not win as an independent candidate.
“Taking him into the party was a big mistake and we now look like fools,” the leader said.
However, Porvorim BJP Block President Kunda Chodankar and Chairman of Sanjay Centre for Special Education Guruprasad Pawaskar, who had contested against Khaunte at the 2017 elections, welcomed the decision of their higher-ups to induct the MLA into the party.
“I work for the party and not for any individual. Khaunte might have used abusive language against Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and the party, but he has realised that only BJP can develop the State,” said Chodankar.
