Team Herald
PANJIM: Fisheries Minister Vinod Palyekar on Sunday expressed his desire to see leaders of the Bhandari Samaj becoming Chief Minister of the State, in near future.
Palyekar’s statement comes days after Ports Minister Jayesh Salgaonkar betted for Bhandari Samaj Chief Minister, sparking controversy.
Addressing the gathering of Gomantak Bhandari Samaj, Palyekar said that the Samaj has already given a Chief Minister to the State in the form of Ravi Naik.
“But still in future, we would like to give more chief ministers,” he said.
Palyekar recalled that Salgaonkar had to face people’s wrath for his statement, earlier this month. “But we all feel that our Samaj has the capability to give Chief Ministerial candidate to the people,” he said.
Congress leader Ravi Naik, Bhandari Samaj president Anil Hoble and others were present. The Samaj had organised a programme to felicitate students, who excelled in various board examinations.
Ponda MLA Naik said, “The Bhandari Samaj is very ambitious and at the same time we need to focus on the downtrodden.”
He also expressed his displeasure in a manner in which the people of the samaj stand divided during election.
“We stand divided at the time of election and as a result, people from our samaj are left powerless. We need to ensure such things do not happen,” he said.
Naik stressed on the need to work together and said that it was the right time for youth to come forward and take over the responsibility of the community.
