PANAJI
With elections in the Northern States and Telengana over, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders here in Goa have quickly begun posturing for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, some even setting eyes on claiming the coveted party nomination for the two seats.
One such leader is former Mandrem MLA, Dayanand Sopte, who made no bones of his desire to contest the North Goa seat even as he tongue-in-cheek advised the incumbent Union Minister Shripad Naik "to retire" citing his age.
The five-term MP, however, has subtly hit back at Sopte although not naming him.
"With 'tulsi vivah' just ended, many grooms are getting ready for the Lok Sabha polls," Naik had said even as he asserted that anyone can claim candidacy and it does not affect him as it is ultimately the party which will decide the candidate.
Sopte is not the first BJP leader to be eyeing to replace Naik, who has won five consecutive parliamentary elections since 1999. Not so long ago, former minister Dilip Parulekar had also similarly shown interest.
With Naik turning the heat on him, Sopte meanwhile has taken a u-turn clarifying that his statement was taken out of context.
In the South too, while former MP and State NRI Commissioner Narendra Sawaikar is a natural claimant for the party's candidacy, there are other leaders too who are eyeing the seat from the sidelines.
Former Deputy Chief Minister Chandrakant (Babu) Kavlekar is said to be seriously lobbying with the party to be considered for the ticket.
Meanwhile, BJP's State president, Sadanand Shet Tanavade, made light of these public claims being made by his party colleagues saying that no matter who claims candidacy its the party's parliamentary board that decides candidates.
"These statements and claims mean nothing," Tanavade said.
