BJP sounds poll bugle, gears up for five elections in next 3 years, starting with ZP

Newly-elected BJP South Goa district president, Prabhakar Gaonkar being felicitated by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, party president Sadanand Tanavade and other leaders at the party district office, Margao on Saturday.

Photo Credits: Santosh Mirajkar

MARGAO 
Sounding the poll bugle for the party workers to gear up for the five elections scheduled in the next three years, beginning with the Zilla Panchayat polls in November this year, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Saturday asserted that no one will be able to dislodge the BJP from power in the 2027 Assembly elections.

In fact, he said there should not be any doubt in anyone’s mind that the BJP will retain power in the 2027 Assembly elections.

Saying the BJP had lost the South Goa Lok Sabha seat by a whisker, the Chief Minister said the newly-elected South district president Prabhakar Gaonkar and his team will soon launch a programme wherein the achievements and policies of the double engine government will be taken to the people across the district.

Addressing party leaders and workers from South Goa at the party district office on Saturday after the installation of Prabhakar Gaonkar as the new district president, the Chief Minister urged the party rank and file from South Goa for the five elections. “We will have to face as many as five elections, beginning with the Zilla Panchayat polls, Municipal election, followed by the Assembly elections, panchayat elections and then again the Lok Sabha election,” he said.

Saying the BJP had fought the 2022 Assembly elections on the basis of the party’s strength and faith reposed in by the people, the Chief Minister said there should not be any doubts that the BJP will romp back to power in the 2027 elections.

“Some people in the Opposition are dreaming to dislodge the BJP so that they become the Chief Minister. No one will be able to dislodge us from power. If we all stay untied no one will be able to shake us. Let us all work with speed to take up the work of the party and serve the people,” he said.

Asserting that the BJP does not believe in differences on the basis of caste and religion, the Chief Minister said if Prime Minister Narendra Modi had led the country in the consecration of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya, the PM also celebrated the Christmas festivities with the people.

Directing his attack on the Congress, the Chief Minister said the Congress was ruling at the Centre and in Goa in the past, but could not take up the infrastructural development of the State.

Pointing out that the BJP had lost the South Goa Lok Sabha by a whisker, the Chief Minister told the party rank and file to go to the people with the achievements of the party government in Delhi and in Goa.

Touching upon the allegations levelled by the Opposition on the jobs-for-cash scam, the Chief Minister said it is easy to make allegations against anyone. “The Opposition is speaking falsehoods, but we speak the truth. At the first hearing of the defamation case, the Opposition has submitted to the court that they will not make the allegations again,” he added.

Party Ministers from South Goa Mauvin Godinho and Subhash Faldesai, besides MLAs Krishna Salkar, Sankalp Amonkar, Digambar Kamat, Ganesh Gaonkar, Nilesh Cabral, Ulhas Tuenkar, Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar, besides BJP State president Sadanand Tanavade were present at the installation programme.

‘No more Mission Salcete, BJP to focus on all constituencies’ 

MARGAO: Saying that Mission Salcete is no more on the agenda of the party, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the party believes in working in all the 40 Assembly constituencies.

In fact, the Chief Minister said that the party will put in more efforts in the constituencies of Nuvem, Velim and Benaulim in Salcete in the coming days.

He further said the party will nominate the party presidents in the four constituencies of Nuvem, Benaulim, Velim and Madkai.