MARGAO
These and other questions have come to the fore in Navelim’s political circles with the BJP leadership sending clear feelers to Avertano to contest the coming election on the party banner. On the other hand, the Fisheries Minister is believed to have made it quite clear to the ruling partner that he would prefer to seek re-election from Navelim only as an Independent.
So far, there’s been no formal communication from the BJP leadership to Avertano to join the party and contest the coming election on the Lotus symbol. Even Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, who enjoys close rapport with the Navelim MLA, is believed to have told Avertano that no firm and final decision has been taken by the party to leave the Navelim seat for the Independent, indicating that the party is still weighing various options in Navelim.
Says Avertano: “By supporting the BJP-led government, I could manage to usher in several development projects in Navelim constituency during the last five years. As an Independent, I could take up many projects in the constituency. And, my supporters have all told me to seek re-election from Navelim again as an Independent.”
Avertano was categorical in saying that he is neither inclined to contest the coming election on the BJP party or on the banner of any other political party. “My supporters have all told me to again seek reelection from Navelim as an Independent,” he asserted.
Local BJP leaders, however, have conveyed to the party leadership that either Avertano should join the party and seek re-election on the party banner or the party should go alone in Navelim in 2017. In fact, as many as three local BJP leaders are bracing up stake claim for the party ticket, including Zilla Panchayat member Ulhas Tuemkar, BJP Navelim block president Damu Naik and the Party Muslim face, Sheikh Jina, in the event there’s a break in the current alliance between the BJP and the Independent MLA.
That the local BJP is flexing its muscles and want the party leadership to do a re-think on the existing arrangement with Avertano is an open secret. A section of the Navelim BJP leadership is veering round the view that the time is ripe for the BJP to test the political waters in Navelim in 2017 in the wake of emerging political equations in Navelim with a host of non-BJP players announcing plans to contest the Assembly election.
Sources in the Navelim BJP say that local leaders have made a forceful plea to the party leadership to field a party candidate in Navelim in the coming election. Says BJP Navelim block president, Damu Naik: “Most of the workers feel that the party should contest the election in Navelim on the party symbol. We have a good voter base in Navelim and we all feel the party can win the seat on its own.”
BJP Muslim face, Sheikh Jina, also echoed similar sentiments. “I have staked my claim for the BJP ticket for the Navelim seat if the party decides to contest the election on our party banner. We all feel that the party can win Navelim if we go alone,” he added.
Both Damu and Jina, however, were categorical in asserting that the local leaders will go by the decision of the state party leadership.
Though the BJP has not won the Navelim seat as yet, the party had been instrumental in putting an end to the Congress hegemony over the constituency. In the 2007 Assembly election, BJP workers had rallied behind Churchill Alemao to end the long political innings of Congress leader Luizinho Faleiro. And, the BJP came back to haunt the Congress again in the 2012 Assembly election when the party backed Avertano to the hilt to send former PWD Minister Churchill Alemao packing home.
With the BJP enjoying a sizeable clout in Navelim post-delimitation of constituencies, and with a host of non-BJP players lining up to fight for a slice of the secular vote, questions are indeed being raised in Navelim political circles whether the BJP leadership will be tempted to chart out a new political course.
