Priol MLA Govind Gaude, known for his outspoken nature, may be politically bruised but is far from backing down. After being dropped from the Pramod Sawant-led cabinet for his scathing remarks on corruption within his own government, Gaude has now confronted the BJP’s internal leadership over alleged sabotage in his constituency.
At a recent BJP Legislature Party meeting, Gaude reportedly raised strong objections to the involvement of party functionaries in ousting his close supporter Vishant Naik, the sarpanch of Betki-Khandola village panchayat, through a no-confidence motion.
The crisis deepened a week later when deputy sarpanch Sanjivani Talekar, another Gaude loyalist, was also removed from office.
Sources suggest that some BJP insiders took advantage of Gaude’s removal from the Cabinet, sparking embarrassment within party circles. Although panchayat elections are not contested on party lines, the coordinated ouster of Gaude’s key supporters caused internal friction within the BJP.
Despite the setback, Gaude managed to reassert control.
Both Naik and Talekar were re-elected unopposed on Monday, signalling Gaude’s enduring influence at the grassroots level.
At the party meeting, Gaude did not mince words. “Is this not indiscipline when the party leadership is preaching discipline?” he reportedly questioned, referring to the internal moves against his panchayat allies.
Observers also link Gaude’s growing frustration to recent bureaucratic reshuffles that appear to target officers associated with his ministerial tenure. Notably, Sagun Velip, who served as Director of Art and Culture, has been shifted to Joint Secretary (Protocol), replaced by Vivek Naik. Meanwhile, Dr Ajay Gaude has returned as Director of Sports and Youth Affairs, replacing Arvind Khutkar, who has now been posted as Director of Archives. Shankar Gaonkar, formerly Superintendent of Jails, has been made Member Secretary of Kala Academy.
When contacted, Gaude remained guarded about his remarks during the party meeting. “I have not spoken to anybody nor do I wish to disclose what I spoke during the meeting. But I will always speak what is right,” he said.