Team Herald
PANJIM: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to felicitate its National President Amit Shah on Sunday for leading the party in securing power in four of five States which went to the polls recently.
Despite failing to emerge as the single largest party in Goa, BJP with 13 MLAs formed a coalition government under Manohar Parrikar.
A public felicitation has been organized at Campal football ground in Panjim on Sunday evening, which is expected to be attended by over 30,000 supporters.
“We are felicitating Shah for the party’s splendid performance under his leadership during the recently held elections in five States. We managed to form government in four States,” State unit President Vinay Tendulkar said. It was Shah who had kicked off party’s election campaign in the State and had addressed three public meetings.
This will be Shah’s second visit to the State after the February 4 elections. He had come for Parrikar’s swearing in ceremony last month.
Shah will be felicitated at the hands of Union Minister for Road Transport and Shipping Nitin Gadkari, who played a key role in stitching up an alliance of regional outfits like MGP and Goa Forward and independents paving the way for BJP to form a government in the State.
Union Minister for AYUSH, Shripad Naik, MP Narendra Sawaikar, Parrikar, all 13 BJP MLAs will be present for the event.
Former Congress MLA, Vishwajit Rane, who joined BJP last week will also be attending the meeting, and is expected to bring over 5000 supporters with him for the felicitation.
After the felicitation, Parrikar is expected to meet Shah and Gadkari over the induction of Rane in the cabinet. “The cabinet expansion will mostly happen next week. Parrikar will have discussions with Shah and Gadkari on the same,” Tendulkar confirmed.
It is learnt that Rane, along with another MLA will be inducted in the Parrikar cabinet. Rane is expected to regain the Health portfolio.
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BJP promises smooth traffic flow
BJP on Saturday said that all arrangements for the rally are being made and there will be no traffic problems.
Addressing the media, BJP Panjim MLA Siddharth Kuncalienkar said, “The felicitation program will start at 5 pm. All arrangements are going on in full swing be it the stage, lights, VVIP and press seating, water, medical and fire safety arrangements.”He added, “Yuva Morcha wing of BJP has taken the responsibility of parking. All BJP public meetings in the city have taken place smoothly without disrupting traffic.” BJP Taleigao Mandal President Dattaprasad Naik said nobody attending the function will face inconvenience and necessary arrangements have been made for its smooth functioning. “More than 20,000 people are expected to attend the felicitation program and necessary parking arrangements have been done for buses that are expected to arrive from various parts of the state,” Naik said.
