Team Goemkarponn
CORTALIM: Former BJP Cortalim Mandal general secretary Achut Naik resigned from the party on Monday and filed his nomination as an independent candidate for the upcoming Zilla Panchayat elections from the Sancoale constituency. His move has stirred political discussion in the area, particularly because Naik has been known as a long-time BJP loyalist with decades of grassroots involvement.
Naik arrived at the nomination centre accompanied by a group of supporters, many of whom were former BJP workers and locals from Sancoale. His supporters said they stood by him because he had served the party faithfully for years and had remained consistently connected to the people at the ground level.
Speaking after filing his nomination, Naik said he was disappointed after being denied the BJP ticket, which he had sought as a long-serving karyakarta. “I had tried for the BJP ticket, but they did not give it to me and instead chose a defector who has changed parties multiple times,” he said. He added that several people urged him to contest independently. “Many people approached me and insisted that I contest as an independent candidate. I have been a BJP karyakarta since the age of 11, doing work like sticking posters, tying flags and banners at that young age.”
Naik said that real BJP workers and mandal members were angered by the party’s decision. “These people have seen me with the BJP for the last 34 years, and they unitedly extended their support to me,” he said, adding that he has resigned from the party to contest independently. “I urge the people to vote for me so we can show that even a loyal karyakarta can win elections without any political godfather,” Naik stated.
