Team Herald

PANJIM: Expressing his clear discontent, former Chief Minister and ex BJP Mandrem MLA Laxmikant Parsekar said neither the State leadership nor the High Command took him into confidence before inducting his opponent and former Congress MLA Dayanand Sopte into the party. 

Parsekar, who lost the March 2017 election to Sopte by a massive margin of over 7000 votes, accused the Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and State President Vinay Tendulkar of making him a “scapegoat” for the party’s defeat in the last Assembly elections. He further slammed the State leadership for misguiding the High Command on the local political situation. 

BJP, which had won 21 seats in 2012 polls, was reduced to mere 13 seats, with five of its Ministers including Chief Minister facing humiliating defeat. 

"My silence for last one and half year, post my defeat, is being taken for granted by the party. Nobody felt like discussing with me before inducting Sopte, the person who defeated me. I have been associated with the party since 1989 and has been entrusting every task given by it. Despite that neither the State nor the central leadership felt it appropriate to consult me," Parsekar said.

“Despite having no major role to play in 2017 election, I took the responsibility of mine and my party's defeat. I was made scapegoat," he said.

"The entire election strategy right from finalizing the candidates to planning out campaign and drafting the manifesto was planned by Manohar Parrikar, who was projected as party’s leader. And Vinay Tendulkar was our president. So was it not their responsibility to hold themselves accountable for party reducing from 21 seats to 13 seats?" he questioned. 

The Core-Committee member said that he feels pained to see the way party is marching forward. “It is very painful to see that we are getting those leaders into the party who defeated BJP,” he said. 

When asked, whether he will not work for the party during the by-elections, Parsekar preferred not to disclose his stand. “Let the elections be announced. Why should I disclose my stand now,” he said adding “but the people should teach lesson to these candidates”. 

“These candidates were elected by the people as Congress candidate and hence had defeated BJP. Now I want to see, how these people goes back to the same people for votes. I want people to teach them the lesson,” he added. 

Parsekar said that there was no reason for Sopte to switch over the party as BJP-led government was implementing the developmental works in Mandrem constituency.

“All his developmental works were approved by chief minister Manohar Parrikar. He had himself said that the BJP was not giving him any step motherly treatment,” the former CM said.