Team Herald
PANJIM: Senior leader Damodar (Damu) Naik is all set to be the new state president of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as his was the only nomination received for the post.
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Naik, a former two-time Fatorda MLA, filed his nomination in presence of central election observer Sunil Bansal, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, outgoing State President Sadanand Shet Tanavade and others.
However, the party will make an official announcement at a public function on January 18.
Speaking to mediapersons, Bansal said the core committee of the party met on Friday and unanimously decided to nominate 54-year-old Naik for the post.
Naik is currently the State General Secretary of the BJP. In 1994, he joined the BJP as a karyakarta (worker) and entered active politics in 1999.
Those whose names were shortlisted for the post included former ministers Dayanand Mandrekar, Dilip Parulekar, former Deputy Chief Minister Chandrakant (Babu) Kavlekar, former South Goa MP Narendra Sawaikar, former MLAs Dayanand Sopte, Damu Naik and senior party leader Govind Parvatkar.
During the last election for the post, Naik was a front runner besides Tanavade, but the party zeroed in on Tanavade.
Speaking to mediapersons, Damu Naik said, “I thank all the BJP members, new and old, because of whom an ordinary worker of the party has reached to such a post.”
Former Minister and Curchorem MLA Nilesh Cabral said that the name of the State party president will be announced at around 11 am on Saturday.
