Tendulkar said after Parrikar — who was elected unopposed as a Rajya Sabha member from Uttar Pradesh — resigns as Panjim MLA, the party will constitute an election committee to shortlist its candidate for Panjim. He rubbished reports that Siddharth Kunkolienkar was the candidate.
“Siddharth is an active party worker but that does not mean he will be our candidate. Our senior leaders will take a call on it once the by-elections are declared,” Tendulkar said, adding that the polls may be held in February next along with the Delhi Assembly elections.
Parrikar, the former Chief Minister of Goa, was elected as Panjim MLA in March 2012, when he defeated Congress candidate Yatin Parekh by a huge margin. Parrikar has been representing Panjim since 1994, when he was first elected from the constituency. During a recent Union Cabinet reshuffle, Parrikar was included as Defence Minister.
Meanwhile, the BJP state unit on Friday morning launched its five month-long national membership drive, targeting to enroll nearly 38 percent of Goa’s voters as members.
Tendulkar said the party has set a target to enroll four lakh members during the drive. “The drive will last till March 31 next year and will reach out to different sections of people cutting across caste, creed and religion,” he said.
The membership drive has begun with constituency-level meetings, with BJP ministers, MLAs and workers reaching out to people in large numbers. Parrikar, who is currently in Goa, will also make door-to-door visits to enroll members.
