Team Herald
PANJIM: The Parliamentary Board of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has cleared the name of State unit President Vinay Tendulkar as their candidate for the Rajya Sabha election in Goa.
Tendulkar, who is set to file his nomination on July 11, has already started meeting MLAs from the coalition partners, seeking support. He is also expected to continue serving as State unit chief even if gets elected as Rajya Sabha member.
Tendulkar confirmed that his candidature has been cleared by the party’s Parliamentary Board.
“I will be filing my nomination on July 11. The coalition partners MGP, Goa Forward Party and Independents have extended their support,” he said informing that he has already met all the MLAs who are currently in Goa.
Goa Forward mentor Minister Vijai Sardesai is currently holidaying abroad and is expected to be back on July 11. Similarly, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar is also in US and may return on July 13.
The election for the lone Rajya Sabha member from Goa will be held on July 21, while the last date for filing of the nomination for this election is July 11.
When asked whether he would continue to serve as party chief if got elected as MP, Tendulkar said “MP can be state party president…there is no issue with that”.
Tendulkar has been the State BJP unitpresident for more than five years. He had taken over the post in 2012, after the then state party president Laxmikant Parsekar vacated the post to join the State Cabinet as the health minister. He again got re-elected in 2016.
BJP and its coalition strength in the State Legislative Assembly is 20, with BJP having 12 MLAs, and three each from MGP, Goa Forward and Independents.
Being non-MLAs Parrikar and Health Minister Vishwajit Rane cannot cast their votes. Both will be contesting by-polls in August-September.
