TUESDAY, MAY 21, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: Differences have again surfaced within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after Social Welfare Minister Subhash Phal Desai alleged that frontline workers of Savitri Kavlekar, wife of former Deputy Chief Minister Chandrakant ‘Babu’ Kavlekar worked for the Congress in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections.
However, Savitri’s supporters strongly refuted charges and stated that the Minister was in the habit of making such statements.
Phal Desai said, “Savitri has worked. But the frontline workers who were with her during Assembly elections worked for the Congress candidate in this election. Workers like Sanguem councillor Meshu D’Costa, Jitu Gaonkar and Kusta Gaonkar did not work this time. It is not just an allegation, it was seen that they had sat with papers.”
He said, “They attended meetings. The core team of Savitri were moving with Congress workers. But I am confident that we will get the lead. In terms of lead, we will be either first or second.”
However, former Deputy Chief Minister Chandrakant ‘Babu’ Kavlekar said that it is wrong to say that he or his wife did not work for the BJP candidate.
Kavlekar said that Meshu D’Costa and others have clarified their stand at Sanguem, on Thursday, wherein they denied minister’s claim that they did not work for the BJP candidate Pallavi Dempo. The Minister is trying to defame Savitri Kavlekar only because she had contested against him, they said.
This is second time, Phal Desai has accused Kavlekar. In the past he had alleged that Kavlekar was funding his opponents to work against him in Sanguem constituency.
Meanwhile, BJP State President and MP Sadanand Shet Tanavade said that the Kavlekar couple had declared their support to the party. “I don’t know if anyone has worked against us,” he added.
The Sanguem Assembly segment represented by Phal Desai had polled highest 82.22 per cent polling.
