PANAJI
In all likelihood, BJP State President Sadanand Shet Tanavade is set to be the next Member of Parliament in Rajya Sabha after the United Opposition decided to not field any candidate for the upcoming polls.
Tanavade filed his nomination papers for the sole RS seat on Tuesday with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and the other supporting MLAs accompanying him to the Returning Officer and Secretary of Goa Legislative Assembly Namrata Ulman at Goa Legislative Assembly.
Even before the United Opposition led by Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao resolved to step back from this election, the CM had expressed confidence that the saffron party would retain the seat.
“We have the numbers in the Assembly… BJP and our allies, MGP and Independent MLAs, together make 33 MLAs... All of us have come together to support our candidate and we are confident that Tanavade will win the RS polls,” Sawant said while briefing the media after the nomination process.
CM then also called upon the Opposition leaders to support the BJP. Later in the evening, Alemao issued a statement claiming the seven MLAs of Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, Goa Forward, and Revolutionary Goans have decided not to field candidates for the RS polls “as a part of political strategy in the interest of Goa.”
The election for the RS seat is scheduled for July 24, as the current member BJP leader Vinay Tendulkar will conclude his term on July 28.
