AERIAL VIEW
For example, leaders like Michael Lobo, who openly blamed a “Bundi man”, obviously referring to BJP Sanghatan Mantri Satish Dhond, were sidelined, and the defectors like Babu Azgaonkar was given Dy CM’s post and Deepak Pauskar the plum post of PWD Minister.
Again in July 2019, Babu Kavlekar, who defected to BJP from Congress, was made Dy CM and others were given lucrative portfolios.
The height was when the BJP decided to grant tickets on “winnability”, thus ignoring core karyakartas and leaders like Utpal Parrikar, Laxmikant Parsekar, Dattaprasad Naik,
Pravin Zantye.
Utpal was a clear case of arrogance as BJP gave two couples – Vishwajit Rane and Babush Monseratte but felt that if former CM’s was given a ticket, it would promote “family Raj”.
This is not the story of a few leaders but has happened across the State so much so that the same leaders like Parsekar are contesting independent against their own party candidate.
SURAJ NANDREKAR
Editor, Goemkarponn
Every leader who has left the party and the party’s core karyakartas have either openly or discreetly said that the BJP is no more what it used to be during the time of late Cheif Minister and Raksha Mantri of the country Manohar Parrikar.
This is because of the party’s open invitation to the leaders from Opposition parties to quit and join and then granting them tickets on the platter, leaving the core karyakartas and the leaders at a lurch.
For example, leaders like Michael Lobo, who openly blamed a “Bundi man”, obviously referring to BJP Sanghatan Mantri Satish Dhond, were sidelined, and the defectors like Babu Azgaonkar was given Dy CM’s post and Deepak Pauskar the plum post of PWD Minister.
Again in July 2019, Babu Kavlekar, who defected to BJP from Congress, was made Dy CM and others were given lucrative portfolios.
The height was when the BJP decided to grant tickets on “winnability”, thus ignoring core karyakartas and leaders like Utpal Parrikar, Laxmikant Parsekar, Dattaprasad Naik,
Pravin Zantye.
Utpal was a clear case of arrogance as BJP gave two couples – Vishwajit Rane and Babush Monseratte but felt that if former CM’s was given a ticket, it would promote “family Raj”.
This is not the story of a few leaders but has happened across the State so much so that the same leaders like Parsekar are contesting independent against their own party candidate.
Not just tickets and positions, the karyakarta today complains that the party leaders like Dhond, Tanavade and Cm do not even listen to their grievances.
The rebellion in the BJP was the last thing the party wanted, especially considering the anti-incumbency it is already facing throughout the State over the anti-people policies like abolishing the House Building allowance for the government, mismanagement of COVID19 pandemic, the anti-people projects like the double-tracking, widening of National Highway 4A, Tamnar transmission lines, IIT Goa at Sattari etc., etc.
The BJP leaders, especially Satish Dhond, the mastermind in BJP, then the CM Pramod Sawant and State president Sadanand Shet Tanavade felt that after the party swept the Zilla Parishad polls and Municipal Poll, all the agitations and protests were artificial and would have no impact on electorates in 2022 elections.
But the three experienced and veteran leaders, especially Dhond, forgot that Assembly elections are far different from ZP and Municipal polls. Apart from that, many other parties are trying their luck, so there is bound to be a division of votes.
Due to this arrogancy of the Bardez taluka, which is considered BJP strong fort, is slowly slipping out of their hand that is only because they took their karyakartas and leaders lightly.
If a leader like Laxmikant Parsekar, the founder member of BJP in Goa, who has served as CM, party president and other important positions, was treated the way he was, what could be the condition of a simple karyakarta.
They now feel dejected and say the party makes good use of them only during elections, and after elections, it is just the MLAs and office-bearers of the party who rip the benefits of power and the karyakartas, who risks their jobs, businesses, family for more than 40 days of campaigning only gets – Babaji ka thullu…
