A massive new BJP state headquarters has been constructed at the Kadamba Plateau in Chimbel, Old Goa, and is scheduled to be inaugurated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on September 6, 2026. The imposing structure resembles a luxury hotel, raising questions about the need for such a grand building when Goa continues to struggle with basic infrastructure. It is difficult not to wonder whether the BJP has crores of rupees to spend on such a massive party headquarters while the government struggles to provide adequate funds for improving infrastructure in government hospitals, schools, colleges and even roads across the state. No one knows exactly how this massive headquarters was funded or where the money came from. BJP leaders have claimed that it was built through contributions from party leaders and workers. If that is the case, why is the party still reluctant to disclose the complete list of donors and the amounts contributed by each of them? The Congress, despite ruling Goa for nearly 17 years, has not been able to establish a headquarters of anything close to this scale. It continues to function from its old and modest office on Dayanand Bandodkar Road in Panaji. This contrast is certainly striking. If BJP leaders genuinely want to clear all doubts about their new state headquarters at Kadamba Plateau, they should make public the complete list of donors and an audited statement of expenditure, as demanded by some Congress leaders. Transparency would help remove the suspicions surrounding the source of the funds. Otherwise, people will naturally speculate about the sources of such large contributions. Such speculation can only damage the party’s credibility. The growing tendency of politicians from other parties to join the BJP after getting elected also raises questions about the political and financial advantages that come with being in power. For many, the perception seems to be that the BJP is where the money and opportunities are. If the party wants to dispel such perceptions, greater transparency is the only answer. The new headquarters may be a symbol of the BJP’s growing political strength in Goa, but it should also become a symbol of accountability. The people have every right to know who paid for it, how much was spent and where the money came from.
Jerry Fernandes, Saligao
