Goemkapronn desk
VASCO: In a very significant political development, Former Mormugao Municipal Council ( MMC ) Chairperson and businessman Nandadeep Raut is all set to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections as an independent candidate
Raut who was a part of the BJP is reportedly upset with the Party’s functioning and has decided to throw his hat in the ring at the request of his supporters
Incidentally, Raut’s wife, Priya Raut is the present municipal councillor and was not present when former Vasco MLA Carlos Almeida joined the BJP recently along with all his elected councillors
When contacted, Raut informed The Goan that it was almost certain that he would contest the MP elections as an independent candidate, making him the second contestant from the Mormugao Taluka to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections
“I have been regularly insisted by my Karyakartas to contest the MP elections and they have had meetings and even invited me for those meetings. We also felt that South Goa has various issues whether it is the Dabolim Airport unemployment or double tracking and people have been approaching me constantly to help them with these issues. I have already had a first meeting and it is almost finalised that I will definitely contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. We are also going to have a second meeting soon where we will have people from the different places and once I get a go-ahead, I will surely contest elections as an independent candidate” said Raut.
“I have been the Chairperson of MMC and I was the Chairperson who cleared files and gave the funds from the MMC to GSUDA for taking up the important projects of the New Fish Market, MMC Building Renovation and Construction of the New Power House project at Baina. However, despite many claiming of my friendship with Carlos Almeida, I was not with him after the municipal elections were announced and I even single-handedly got my wife Priya Raut elected as the ward councillor. This justifies why I and my wife were not present when Carlos Almeida recently joined the BJP” said Raut
“I have good reasons to get upset with ten BJP and I don’t want to be public on this. The Congress party had approached me to be their candidate in the last assembly elections from Vasco and it was almost finalised till the last time they gave the ticket to Carlos Almeida and discouraged me. The BJP party also at the same time got me to enter the party and assured me that they would do the work of my people in exchange for the support for the assembly elections but they have certainly ditched me and my people. It is these people who have now approached me and insisted that I contest the South Goa lok sabha elections ” said Raut.
“I have taken up various projects as the MMC Chairperson and people from Vasco know my working style besides this I have been approached by many people from Mormugao, Dabolim and Cortalim constituencies assuring me their support on the basis of the works taken by me as the MMC Chairperson in quick time. I have been approached by many business associations besides some councillors from Margao Municipality and Panch members from Cansaulim and other panchayats as well. Some former councillors and chairpersons and present councillors from Ponda Taluka and other parts of Goa are in touch with me and I am already having meetings with them as well. I have even visited some constituencies in the quiet and met many prominent leaders who have assured me of support me. I am only waiting for a final go-ahead of my supporters in the next meeting after which I may file my nomination as an independent candidate from South Goa ” said Raut.
