PANJIM: Union Tourism Minister Shripad Naik, or Bhau, as he is affectionately called must be ruing his fate.
His efforts to return to State politics have been thwarted for the second time and the hat that he had thrown into the CM’s ring has been unceremoniously thrown out almost as soon as it was tossed in.
Once an icon of the BJP in the State, Naik has seen himself being sidelined systematically and incrementally over the years. The first instance that really caught the public eye was during the 2012 Assembly elections when he showed interest in plunging back into State politics and contesting from Porvorim constituency.
Despite many public platitudes, he was ultimately told to stay at the Centre and as a pacifier allowed to recommend a candidate of his choice for the seat. The candidate lost miserably. But even if he had won, the main aim – that of coming back into Goan politics – was ultimately lost.
The marginalization has become so bad that Naik was not able to even get his son elected at the panchayat level.
Sensing an opportunity this time, Naik staked his claim for chief ministership, but this hope too turned out to be as fleeting as a will-o-the-wisp and even though he met BJP National President Amit Shah, he was apparently told to back off and continue doing what he is doing – stay where he is.
There is speculation that the tourism portfolio may be divested from him, which could further marginalize the once powerful Bhandari leader.
