PANJIM: In a late-night political development on Thursday, Goa Forward Party’s Saligao MLA Jayesh Salgaonkar resigned as a Member of the Legislative Assembly.
Salgaonkar, a first-time MLA, is set to join BJP on Friday. He is likely to be the party’s candidate from Saligao for the 2022 election, due in February.
The resignation comes hours after Salgaonkar was issued a show-cause notice by GFP for ‘anti-party activities’ and for ‘continuously hobnobbing’ with the BJP.
Salgaonkar, who was out of Goa when the notice was served, rushed back and tendered his resignation to Goa Assembly Speaker Rajesh Patnekar. He resigned at around 10.00 pm.
“I have accepted the resignation of Salgaonkar,” Patnekar said later. Salgaonkar said that he will join BJP on Friday.
With the resignation of the Saligao MLA, the 40-member Goa Legislative Assembly is down to 38 legislators. In September, Congress MLA Luizinho Faleiro had resigned to join All India Trinamool Congress (AITMC). GFP is now left with only two MLAs.
In 2017, Salgaonkar had won defeating BJP’s Dilip Parulekar, who was a sitting Minister, and Congress’ Agnelo Fernandes.
Speaking to media persons after resigning, Salgaonkar said that his popularity, dedication towards work, made Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant approach him. “The party (BJP) survey also gave them a clear indication about me being the winnable candidate,” he said.
When pointed out that BJP Saligao workers have raised strong objections towards his entry into the party, Salgaonkar said “that is obvious”.
“In my entire term I have maintained good relations with the BJP workers in Saligao. There could be resentment. I will try to resolve the differences. I will personally approach them,” he said.
The former MLA also said that Saligao constituency being BJP dominated, his supporters were clear that he should join the saffron brigade.
“In politics, as days and years pass, dynamics changes and we have to go as per the flow. Over the years, I have seen closely how BJP and the government are working and realised that it’s time that I need to be part of a national party. I chose BJP,” he said.
Salgaonkar, however, said that he has not ditched Vijai Sardesai (GFP President) and that his former colleague will understand his decision. “In the past too I had got offers from BJP to form an alternate government without Vijai but I refused to be part of it and stood by Vijai,” he said.
Earlier in the day, GFP issued a show-cause notice to Salgaonkar for “constant” anti-party activities.
The notice said that the behaviour and conduct of the MLA for the last few months clearly indicates that his intentions are to work for BJP for “personal gains”. It also alleged that Salgaonkar has been continuously hobnobbing with the BJP General Secretary (Organisation) Satish Dhond.
The party warned to initiate disciplinary action against the MLA if he failed to respond to the notice within 24 hours.
Interesting, the notice has been issued after Salgaonkar was found missing from the picture, that GFP president Vijai Sardesai had tweeted, announcing “Team Goa” along with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Leader of opposition Digambar Kamat, AICC leader Dinesh Gundu Rao, GFP MLA Vinod Palyekar and Independent MLA Prasad Gaonkar. Salgaonkar’s absence had raised several eyebrows.
Salgaocar is the second “sure shot” GFP candidate who has quit the party recently, the first being former MLA and working president Kiran Khanolkar who was the GFP candidate from Aldona or Tivim.
