MARGAO: Few persons from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) camp in Margao want their party leaders to give a valid and convincing reason for giving entry to the Margao MLA Digambar Kamat into the party; however, many have expressed their readiness to accept the return of senior most political leader into the party after a long gap.
Team Herald met some of the local leaders from the BJP camp in Margao. It was noticed that many of them are hesitating to express their view over Kamat’s entry into the party. Interestingly, few even go to the extent to state that Margao MLAs entry along with seven others is a big blow to democracy.
“I feel that it is a big blow to democracy and the constitution, as the eight MLAs resigned from the Congress and joined the BJP,” said Ketan Kurtarkar, a local leader of BJP from Margao.
He said that they are still working hard to make and keep the party flag high in the Margao constituency for the last several years, that too since Digambar Kamat ditched the party, he stated.
“I am surprised. Don’t know what made the party leaders give entry to these eight MLAs, including Margao MLA,” said Kurtarkar.
Similarly, Sharmad Raiturkar, who once contested against Kamat in the assembly election, said that top BJP leaders should have taken them into confidence before giving entry to Kamat.
“We are the workers working at the grassroots level and hence we deserve convincing reasons from the party officials in taking this major decision, as the party was already in majority. Yes, we are waiting for the reason from the top party officials”, he stated.
However, Navin Pai Raikar, another dedicated worker of the saffron party said that Kamat joining the party may be an added advantage to the BJP.
“Margao MLA Digambar Kamat now has tasks ahead to work for strengthening the BJP in Margao. We have no objections to his joining the BJP and it won’t affect the party here in Margao. Our party base is very strong in Margao and is intact since he left the party in 2005,” said Raikar.
Similarly, Mahesh Amonkar, who had recently joined the BJP in Margao, told Herald that according to him the party has come to a conclusion of inducting Kamat and others for betterment.
“I cannot raise questions about the party’s decision, but now we have to see how the combination between core BJP workers and the group from the Margao MLA go forward in Margao,” he stated.
