Goemkarponn: Welcome, Mr Tanavade; BJP has been ruling for two terms; how do you see the chances of BJP coming back to power in 2022?
Sadanand Shet Tanavade: BJP has been in power for almost 10 years. When you are in power, an anti-incumbency factor is likely to exist. But it is equally true that if one has worked for the larger good of the people, then this factor tends to surpass the anti-incumbency factor. Several political parties from outside are coming to Goa and think it will be easier for them to do politics in Goa. Some even tend to do politics with big banners and posters. But overall picture if we see then I am confident enough that in the 2022 election, BJP will receive support from the people of Goa, and there is no doubt that in this election, BJP will win.
Goemkarponn: Looking at 2017 results, do you think BJP can still get the majority?
SST: During the initial preparation for the 2017 election then, there was strong support from the people. But some candidates at that time didn’t come to power again. In 2017 people were given tickets despite chances that they might be defeated. Sometimes, people do not have anger over the political party, but it also depends on how well the local MLA has performed in his tenure of five years. Despite getting 13 candidates,
we were able to form a government with parties like MGP, Goa Forward and independent supported us with the condition that if Manohar Parrikar comes to Goa and becomes Chief Minister. Today we have an absolute majority. Since 1991, if we see the overall picture, we will understand that from all 40 constituencies, in 29 constituencies BJP has got elected, many people fail to understand this. In only 11 constituencies, BJP did not get elected.
Goemkarponn: Do you mean to say late Manohar Parrikar solely decided on candidates?
SST: See, late Manoharbhai was a big leader; if he would take any decision, then there would not be much discussion at the Centre about that decision. Today, we do not give tickets, but we follow a process; after the election is declared, the party declares the state election committee, which decides candidates after consulting the Parliamentary Board. We send names from each constituency. A sent name would get finalized and returned in the past, but now the situation might not be the same. For the first time in Goa, there are desk positions in charge, sub in charge etc. concept has come up. Our desk in charge is Devendra Fadnavis, Darshana Jardosh, Railway Minister, is also a desk sub-in charge, Kishan Reddy, the minister, is also desk sub-in charge along with C.T. Ravi.
Goa being a small State, we still tend to see so many things, so tomorrow, if I say that this person should get a ticket, it might not happen that way. Last time, it might have happened when Parrikar was there, and if he had suggested any name, it used to be finalized.
Goemkarponn: Don’t you think the backdoor entry to power in 2017 has boomeranged on BJP now?
SST: It was a fractured mandate; sometimes, one needs to make decisions as the situation occurs. Congress might have got some seats back then, but the rest of the elected candidates who did not want to support Congress felt that supporting BJP, Manohar Parrikar as a Chief Minister would be a better option, so they decided. In a democracy, if someone wants to extend its support to you, then you cannot deny it. Therefore the decision made in 2017 was the right decision.
Goemkarponn: The BJP calls itself a disciplined party, but there is no discipline left today. Your say?
SST: ST: That is because not all MLAs have been elected from BJP but have joined us after they got elected. Therefore some sort of adjustment one has to make. During the election year, these allegations and counter-allegations tend to start. Once the election is declared and if someone is seen doing anything against the party, action will be taken as per the system of the party.
It is a democracy, and everyone expresses himself. It is obvious that everyone feels that he should get a party ticket and for that someone might be talking, which we cannot stop him. If tomorrow the parliamentary board decides to give a ticket to one person and after that, someone tries to indulge in anti-party activities, then appropriate action will be taken in this regard.
Goemkarponn: If Joshua D’Souza can get a ticket, then why Utpal Parrikar was denied the ticket? Why double standards?
SST: It is wrong to say we denied the ticket to Utpal, which is wrong as the decision about the by-election was made at the Centre. But I would like to tell you that we do not have any personal enmity with anyone nor do we have any choices as to whom a ticket should be given. There is a misconception that we did not give him a (Utpal) ticket, which is wrong.
Goemkarponn: The BJP ministers were embroiled in controversies before the elections. What action would teh party take?
SST: See, regarding the sex scandal issue, whenever someone is making a personal allegation, it has to be backed by concrete proof.
Simply gossips and claims of having proof do not help. I am telling this openly before the media that any proof against any minister and within 24 hours you will see action. Simply making any allegations against someone is incorrect. Tomorrow someone else will make allegations on another person, which is bound to happen since it is the election year.
Goemkarponn: But the allegations like recruitment have come from within BJP leaders?
SST: You need to find out the reasoning behind it. Sometimes when there are internal differences and self-interest, only that person speaks. It is not that everyone with a common opinion speaks on it. If the person (MLA) who is speaking should have filed a complaint that is not happening, how can we expect action to happen by speaking vaguely about something? I want you to know that we are not trying to protect anybody, and BJP will not do this.
Goemkarponn: As the BJP is involved in wholesale poaching of other party leaders, don’t you think the core BJP cadre is hurt somewhere?
SST: No, it is not like that; there is one thing, in 1994, BJP had four candidates got elected. In 1999, 10 and in 2002, around 17 candidates of BJP won. But in 2007 we came down to 14 candidates. What happens here is that once someone from cadre gets elected, all will get re-elected. Let’s take my example; in 2002, I got elected, but in 2007 I lost. At that time, around 7 to 8 sitting MLAs lost the election. What happens is that sometimes it might be that we are unsuccessful in bringing more people outside our cadre. In 2007 we got 14 candidates elected, and we did not manage to form a government, and when this criterion was considered during the 2012 election, 13 new faces were given BJP tickets. In 2012 when we got the absolute majority, at that time, those 9 from the 13 new faces were elected. And that’s the reason we managed to reach 21 seats.
Now, the person who was given a ticket at that time, and if he doesn’t get a ticket now, he tends to claim injustice upon him. He doesn’t understand that when he was given a party ticket, some other person might have been deprived of the ticket too at that time. For example, Dattaprasad Naik, Vishwajeet Krishnarao Rane, Stayavijay Naik we had given them a ticket in 2012, the ticket was given in 2012. Today they are not with the BJP party; they came to the party intending to contest the election. Today, several shops like TMC, so they go to other options if not here. Things were similar even when Parrikar was with us.
We were loyal to the BJP party. Therefore, we remained with the party. The party base won’t grow unless you take new people to the party. It doesn’t mean that only people from our cadre will come up and rule. It is not possible.
Goemkarponn: Why is the communication or connection between the Church and BJP is missing?
SST: Before, there was an impression that the BJP was exclusively for the Hindu, but now, even in the North East, where there is a 95 per cent minority community, we also have a BJP Chief Minister. In Goa, most of our MLAs are Christian, so that misconception has gone now.
Goemkarponn: Parrikar had won in 2012 with Mission Salcete. How does the BJP plan to win the taluka now?
SST: We are not giving specific emphasis in any area but working uniformly all over. Manoharbhai Parrikar had given equal time and importance to all the talukas from the State. Therefore he used to work and roam all over Goa. Most of the time, it is thought that Salcete was given preference. It is not so; Manohar Parrikar was such a great leader that he would go everywhere in the State and meet many.
Goemkarponn: The BJP desperately wanted to forge an alliance with MGP. Where did it go wrong? Why talks failed?
SST: There was a public perception that a coalition was needed to be formed. We (BJP) have our candidates, organizations all over Goa, but Maharashtravadi Gomantak Party (MGP) does not have it. During the 2019 by-election, Sudin Dhavalikar ditched us for his brother Deepak Dhavlikar. De Sudin Dhavlikar was a Deputy Chief Minister, and despite that, he fielded his brother against BJP in Shiroda. Therefore, we removed Sudin from his position. So now whatever hue and cry Sudin is making is due to this.
After that, the Zilla Panchayat elections came; at that time, too MGP remained with the Congress, and much ruckus was made on various issues. What did the MGP get by forming an alliance? We (BJP) won. During the municipal election also there was lots of hue and cry, but out of 12 municipalities we won in 10 municipalities.
Despite this, due to the people’s perception, after discussing with our higher ups, I gave them an offer publicly for the alliance. He (Sudin) considered himself a senior leader; we felt that our higher ups should talk with him and therefore talk between our higher-up’s and him started.
Although there was a communication between me and Sudin on a phone which I cannot disclose here. When our top leaders were supposed to come to Goa at that time they (MGP) declared its alliance with TMC.
This matter was put to conclusion by them (MGP) not by us.
Now, TMC and MGP alliance is unnatural and it cannot happen, people digested the Congress and MGP alliance but this alliance with TMC and MGP cannot be tolerated.
Goemkarponn: Sudin now claims, BJP is now poaching his candidates. Your say?
SST: Why do we need to poach their candidates, and who are their MLAs? If tomorrow we invite our party, all will come, can we consider these as their candidates?
Their candidates are scared because they feel that their vote share will decline after the alliance with TMC.
Now, these candidates ask Sudin why he aligned with the TMC without asking them.
And now, to cool down these candidates, he (Sudin) is blaming us.
Goemkarponn: How much impact do you think the parties like AAP and TMC can have on BJP’s prospects?
SST: I feel there won’t be any much effect on the BJP. AAP we have seen during the last election. Presently, TMC is doing Posterbazi, a strategy AAP had also used before.
And after the election we saw the condition of them and many candidates even failed to keep their deposits.
Today, one more shop has come in the form of TMC and they got Churchill. The poaching which is done by TMC doesn’t really concern us because those people are not ours. BJP voters will not fall prey to the poster politics of AAP and TMC. Our voters might speak out what they feel but they will remain intact with the BJP. Our voters are emotional and work for the party.
The recent promise of TMC giving Rs 5000 to the people, I have said in one debate that the person promising Rs 5000 to people here should first give Rs.500 in Bengal. The person from Delhi should first implement the Griha Adhar scheme, Ladli Laxmi scheme, DSS scheme from Goa and then should give us talks. The money which is being used hee to put big posters should actually be used in Bengal where there is bad condition. They should adopt the Goa model and implement it in West Bengal.
Goemkarponn: How many more leaders from other parties are supposed to join the BJP?
SST: No it won’t happen. No more leaders are joining us. I had told you before that out of eleven seats where we did not win, Ponda is one of them, but this time we have been working in that area. Ravi Naik, who came from Congress, is from this area, and a common person from PondaHe is a leader of bahujan samaj and has worked for the people. There is an acceptance for him in Goa. His son has also been working for BJP for some years and this time we feel by having Ravi we will win in Ponda.
Goemkarponn: Is Rohan Khaunte joining BJP?
SST: Still Rohan has not joined any political party, and if during the election time, if someone wants to come to the party, then he should be welcomed. But still, I have not received any proposal from him (Rohan) to join our party. And if the proposal comes, then we will think about it.