MARGAO, NOV 1
Faced with the stark reality that the BJP for the first time in a decade and half will have no representation in the 20-member Margao municipal body, BJP leader and MLA Damu Naik said the party has accepted the miserable defeat faced by the party candidates in the municipal polls, but asserted that the poll results will not have any bearing on the party in the Assembly polls scheduled early 2012.
He said the party would soon do the introspection on why the people of Margao have not accepted the candidates fielded by the party for the Margao elections.
Replying to a question, he said a host of factors has gone against the party candidates, adding that low turn out of the educated class went against the party. “The turn out was very less as compared to the Assembly polls. The educated class did not come out in large numbers. May be, the BJP could not succeed in convincing the people on its mission to provide a stable and corruption free Margao council”, Naik said.
He further said that the presence of Congress leaders such as PWD Minister Churchill Alemao, Urban Development Minister Joaquim Alemao, besides other Ministers and MLAs during the campaign in Fatorda helped the Congress backed candidates. “The Congress made it a prestige issue. Even the Chief Minister went all out in support of his candidates. On the contrary, the BJP did not put in all out efforts to win the polls. Even party leader Manohar Parrikar just came to Fatorda to inaugurate an election office”, he said.
