MARGAO
The Goa Forward Party received a major blow ahead of the crucial election for Margao Municipal Chairperson when its Margao Municipal councillor representing the Pajifond ward Raju Naik joined the BJP-backed group in the Margao Municipal Council.
This became evident on Sunday when Raju made his presence at a meeting of the 15-BJP backed councillors held in a city hotel which was attended by Congress-turned-BJP MLA Digambar Kamat, party general secretaries Narendra Sawaikar and Damu Naik.
As the meeting of the BJP-backed councillors was held in the city hotel ahead of the crucial election for the post of Margao Municipal Chairperson scheduled on October 12, councillor Raju made his presence felt at the meeting, officially severing his ties with the regional party. He later joined the BJP in the presence of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant in the State capital.
This is the second Goa Forward councillor, who has jumped ship to join the saffron party. Shweta Lotlikar quit the regional party to embrace the BJP in the run-up to the 2022 Assembly elections.
With Raju’s exit from Goa Forward, the strength of the regional party has been reduced to seven in the 25-member body.
Saying he was part of the BJP in the past and had quit the party due to some reasons, Raju said he has decided to return after Margao MLA Digambar Kamat joined the BJP last month.
“The Margao MLA called me up and requested me to join the BJP in the interest of the city’s development. I felt that my ward and the city may benefit in terms of development since the BJP will be in power in the State for the next four years and a half,” he added.
Saying he has nothing personal against Goa Forward or its chief Vijai Sardesai, Raju said the BJP’s strength in the civic body had swelled to 15 councillors after Kamat joined the ruling party. “My decision to part ways with the Goa Forward has in no way changed the political equations in the civic body,” he said, adding that his entry into is unconditional.
Raju has been a four-time Margao Municipal councillor, having lost the Pajifond seat only once in his political career, spanning two decades.
