SECRETLY HEARD
>> BJP cadre, especially in Fatorda has been a confused lot since the time the party had joined hands with the Goa Forward party
>> The BJP has a strong base in Fatorda. What Dayanand Mandrekar should hopefully set at rest is all speculation vis-Ã -vis Fatorda
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MARGAO: Former minister and BJP leader Dayanand Mandrekar’s stand that there cannot be an alliance with the Goa Forward Party (GF) in the next Assembly election must have come as a morale booster to the BJP cadre in Fatorda which had seen a virtual free run for Goa Forward chief and TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai since BJP and Goa Forward joined hands to form the coalition government post 2017 election.
On the other hand, GF senior leader Prashant Naik said the question whether the BJP and the Goa Forward should jointly fight the next election does not arise since the party has not made any such offer to the coalition partner.
As expected, BJP two-time MLA and Vijai Sardesai’s arch rival Damu Naik declined to offer his reaction to Mandrekar’s statement. Many a BJP worker in private, however, tend to agree with Mandrekar’s stand, indicating the mood in the BJP camp that the party should not have any truck with the Goa Forward in the next Assembly election.
A senior party worker from Fatorda even went to the extent of saying that Mandrekar’s stand will go a long way in clearing doubts and confusion from the minds of the party rank and file whether or not the BJP will leave the Fatorda seat to the Goa Forward party in the next election because of the current alliance with the regional party. “BJP cadre, especially in Fatorda has been a confused lot since the time the party had joined hands with the Goa Forward party. The BJP has a strong base in Fatorda. What Dayanand Mandrekar should hopefully set at rest is all speculation vis-Ã -vis Fatorda,” remarked a senior party leader.
He added: “Though none of the BJP leaders and workers have joined the TCP Minister’s camp in Fatorda, Mandrekar’s stand will help send the right message, especially to our voters that the BJP will contest the next assembly election on the Lotus symbol”.
BJP leaders and its cadre have been lying low in Fatorda ever since Goa Forward Party chief Vijai Sardesai joined hands with Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to form the coalition government. Since March 11, 2017, the BJP had been maintaining silence on issues concerning Fatorda, with Damu Naik and other leaders, preferring to tread a cautious path, least their actions are seen as creating obstacles to the smooth running of the coalition government.
The Goan understands that the BJP leadership had indeed been treading a cautious path in Fatorda, by completely leaving governance and development to the TCP Minister, while silently concentrating on the party work in the constituency. Sources said though the BJP was not seen active on the surface, the BJP Fatorda block has been carrying out various functions, right from the Block to the booth level, similar to other constituencies.
Mandrekar had on Sunday told the media at Margao that the question of alliance between the BJP and Goa Forward does not arise simply because the two parties are ideologically poles apart, indicating that the BJP will contest all the three seats of Fatorda, Siolim and Saligao presently represented by Goa Forward Ministers, Vijai Sardesai, Vinod Palienkar and Jayesh Salgaokar respectively.
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Not made any offer to
BJP for alliance: GF
MARGAO: Goa Forward leader Prashant Naik said that Dayanand Mandrekar’s statement does not bother the regional party, given that the party has not made any offer to the BJP or any other party on forging an alliance for the next Assembly polls. Moreover, Prashant pointed out that the Goa Forward party is on an expansion drive, making the presence of the regional party felt in all the Assembly constituencies across Goa. “We have nothing much to comment since the Goa Forward has not approached the BJP or any other party for alliance and the regional party is on an expansion mode, setting up blocks in constituencies represented by the alliance partners," Prashant said.
