PANJIM: An anxious BJP’s Cumbharjua Constituency Mandal President Siddesh Naik on Thursday said senior leaders, including party president after assessing his work in the last five years in the constituency had assured him that he had a high chance to be a candidate for 2017 polls. However, with Madkaikar’s induction, the politcial scenario doesn’t seems to be poised for a happy ending.
Speaking to Herald, Naik, albeit hopeful said, “Yes I am a ticket aspirant. Five years back, I started my work in the constituency (Cumbharjua) and a year back when the new president was to be appointed, party leaders, including State BJP president, told me that I should take the responsibility of the constituency as its mandal president.”
“They also told me that I was a potential candidate for 2017 polls and after this, I took up the responsibility of the mandal president and started work in Cumbharjua constituency with renewed vigour,” said Naik.
Further stating that there were initial discussions between the party and the mandal on whether Madkaikar should be inducted, most of the workers of the mandal had opposed this move.
“Later, we were told that the constituency mandal would be taken into confidence before taking a final decision on inducting Madkaikar but it was not done. For the last five years, our mandal is working against him as in the Congress and people know what he has done,” said Siddesh.
However, Naik said the entire party cadre as a mandal had opposed the decision of inducting Madkaikar but the resolution whether to campaign for him is yet to be decided.
“My claim is still on the BJP ticket and I feel that the party should consider it and if denied I have not decided as yet whether I will be contesting as an Independent” he added.
With the induction of Congress candidate Pandurang Madkaikar into the BJP, the controversy once again attracted for the Assembly election of 2017. In 2012 it was Shripad Naik’s controversy for Porvorim seat and now it’s the same for Cumbharjua seat.
