Team Herald
PANJIM: While assuring that the current BJP-led coalition government will complete its five-year tenure in power, the BJP National President Amit Shah on Sunday urged the booth workers to ensure that BJP gets full majority with 35 seats in the next State Assembly elections.
Shah was in Goa to address booth convention ahead of forthcoming Lok Sabha election in 2019. The convention, attended by all current and former MLAs, saw participation of over 15,000 workers across 1642 booths.
Trying to put to rest all kinds of speculations doing the rounds for last two months, Shah assured complete stability in the coalition government even in the absence of ailing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is currently undergoing treatment in USA.
“The party organisation in Goa has been expanding. I want to give you confidence that the BJP- led government will complete its tenure of five years in Goa and not only that it will form the next government in the state with full majority,” the Party President said.
Without making any reference to the fractured mandate that was thrown in 2017 assembly election, Shah said that instability is like an ‘eclipse’ to the development of the State.
“We have to take the oath that in the year 2019 (Lok Sabha election) we will win both the seats and for next Goa assembly election, we will win in at least 35 out of 40 constituencies,” he added.
The coalition government led by BJP has three MLAs each from MGP, Goa Forward Party and Independent. With Parrikar ailing, there were rumours about possible political instability in the State government.
Further, Shah said that he has informed Parrikar that even in his absence, there is smooth functioning of State administration and a proper and time-to-time State- centre coordination.
“The State administration is in touch with the Union Ministry’s and the BJP leaders with Central leadership. There is absolutely no problem in the working. I told this to Parrikar, when I had phoned him before coming here,” BJP MP said.
Trying to boost the morale of the booth workers, Shah said that the confidence amongst the workers is reflected in the leaders but when they are discouraged even the leader feels the same. “The meeting of the booth level workers which is happening right now is very important for the party. We have to go back from the meeting with the resolution that we would end the probability of instability in the State,” he said.
He recalled that after 2014, BJP has won in all the states were assembly elections were held and this track record of winning will continue even in future.
Shah said that BJP’s soul lies in its booth workers who are the focus point of the party. He turned nostalgic while speaking about the rise of the party in the country from being just 10-member organisation to eleven crore membership party.
“I also started my career as booth level worker who used to sit in the last row listening to the speeches of the leaders. BJP is a party which has made booth level worker as its national president,” he said.
Earlier speaking, State Health Minister Vishwajit Rane, Power Minister Pandurang Madkaikar, Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho and Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo expressed confidence in the stability of the coalition government, while laying scathing attack on Congress.
“We are going strong under leadership of Manohar Parrikar, who will be our only Chief Minister,” Rane said adding ‘Congress will not be able to get the magical number of 21 in Goa even if they try their level best’.
Rane said that the aim of BJP should be ‘Congress-mukt Goa’.
Madkaikar also targeted Congress stating that the party that said the coalition government will not last for more than three months in power, has no right to ask for a chief minister. “Our chief minister is very much there and with his guidance, the administration is also functioning smoothly,” he stated.
BJP state president Vinay Tendulkar also jumped into the fray stating ‘the party that changed three leaders in just one month, should not consider us like them to change chief minister’.
