Team Herald
PANJIM: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State President Sadanand Shet Tanavade on Monday held a meeting with all 30 candidates backed by the party for Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) elections and ruled out differences in finalising the candidates.
Panjim MLA Atanasio `Babush’ Monserrate and former Panjim MLA Sidharth Kuncalienkar were also present for the meeting, ruling out differences within them with regards to CCP elections slated for March 20.
During the meeting, Tanavade urged candidates to reach out to each and every voter and listen to their grievances, so that the same can be resolved once voted to power. He also directed candidates to campaign in such a way that the party backed panel has to sweep the polls.
The BJP president informed candidates that there are no differences within the party leaders and all will work unitedly to ensure victory of all 30 candidates.
Speaking to reporters post meeting, Tanavade said that though the elections are not fought on party lines, BJP-backed panel will win in all 30 wards of CCP.
He said that the Panjim BJP Mandal is united and will work to ensure victory of all 30 candidates supported by the party. He ruled out any differences within the party workers.
Further, Tanavade said that the party backed panel will win with complete majority in all 11 municipal councils elections. He said that party has full faith in its workers who are working day and night to ensure victory of BJP-backed panels.
The BJP-backed candidates under Panaji MLA Babush Monserrate have kick-started their campaign in full swing. The party is confident of its victory in all 30 wards, he said.
Earlier, there were reports that Kuncalienkar, former spokesman Dattaprasad Naik and former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s son Utpal Parrikar were trying to field candidates against candidates supported by the BJP. However, later they claimed that they were supporting individual candidates since there were no official candidates.
Taking note of these developments, the BJP president removed Dattaprasad Naik as party spokesman last week.
Later, Monserrate and Kuncalienkar also said that they are working together to ensure victory in all 30 wards. It may be recalled that at the time of filing nominations, Kuncalienkar had said that he will support individual candidates since CCP polls are not fought on party lines. BJP executive member Keshav Prabhu was also present for the meeting.