Tanavade asserts AAP, TMC will damage Cong prospects
PANAJI
The BJP is in the contest in the electorally crucial Salcete taluka this time around, state Bharatiya Janata Party president Sadanand Shet Tanavade said on Wednesday, while indicating that the presence of parties like the Aam Aadmi Party and Trinamool Congress would electorally damage its main opposition, the Congress party, in its own stronghold.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting held in Panaji to review its poll performance, Tanavade also said that the party would get 22 plus seats, as it had claimed in the run-up to the polls, adding that after the elections, the party was confident of achieving the winning number.
“We are winning even in their (Congress) stronghold in Salcete. They are trying to divert the minds of the people. Their candidates are scared. That is why they are saying this,” Tanavade said, while reacting to the Congress’ post-poll claim of winning 26 assembly seats after the results are announced on March 10.
The state BJP president also said that his party was preparing for a straight fight with the Congress, adding that a split in the opposition votes, on account of the emergence of the AAP and the TMC would impact the Congress.
“We had planned for a straight fight and we were going to win,” he
said.
“We are normally not at an advantage in Salcete. The Congress will not win eight out of eight seats there. BJP is in the contest there too,” Tanavade said.
He also said that the party had already made a dent in Salcete in the past, but with the new parties in the fray, the BJP would stand to gain.
“We have won there in the past in Fatorda, Margao, Navelim. There are other parties in the fray there now like the TMC, AAP. We are firm,” he said.
In a direct challenge to the Congress, Tanavade also said that the Congress should first spell out which constituencies the party would win in North Goa to achieve its claim of 26 seats.
“They (Congress) said yesterday that they are winning 26 seats. Let them name those seats and then we will see. Let them name any seat in the north which they are winning and then should speak about Salcete,” Tanavade said.
The state BJP president also brushed aside speculation about the Quepem assembly seat, adding that outgoing deputy chief minister Chandrakant Kavlekar would win with a margin of 6,000 plus votes.
