Shripad likely to be projected as new BJP CM
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 10 May 2011 11:41 IST
The Bharatiya Janata Party plans to project North Goa MP Shripad Naik as the next chief minister of Goa, in the forthcoming Assembly poll.
“I am prepared to accept the post if the central leadership offers it”, said Naik, at a Head On programme on Prudent Media, a local TV channel.
While talking to its news editor Pramod Acharya, Naik said the party needs to project a fresh face for the post of the chief minister.
“I believe Manohar Parrikar would also back the decision if the party leadership feels so”, opined Naik, stating that “we are all obedient soldiers of the party”.
Naik plans to contest the Assembly poll, which would be held by January next year, from Porvorim, a new Assembly constituency that has been constituted in the delimitation plan.
“Since I have been working in North Goa, Porvorim is the right constituency for me to contest since no other party candidate or sitting MLA has any stake over it”, said Naik.
While commenting on several steps taken by the BJP in the past, Naik also said that the decision to break ties with the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party in 1999 Assembly polls was a major mistake.
The BJP had made a debut in the Goa Assembly in 1994 Assembly poll by aligning with the MGP, the then major opposition party, by winning four seats.
Parrikar from Panaji, Naik from Madkai, today’s Congress chief minister Digambar Kamat from Margao and Narahari Haldankar were the four BJP MLAs elected in 1994.
At Parrikar’s insistence, the BJP however then decided last minute not to align with the MGP and went alone, winning 10 seats while totally marginalizing the MGP.
Since then, the MGP could never raise its head.
However, the BJP also could not win absolute majority in the state Assembly but the Congress benefited with anti-Congress votes getting divided between the BJP and the MGP.
The BJP, after fighting three unsuccessful elections since then, has now sent a proposal for an alliance in the next Assembly poll.
With two Dhawalikar brothers – Sudin (transport minister) and Dipak, the MGP is a partner in the ruling coalition led by the Congress today.
The MGP is yet to respond to the proposal.
The BJP however reportedly is hopeful of positive response if Shripad Naik is projected as the new leader, instead of Parrikar.
Parrikar, on the other hand, is facing a stiff competition from education minister Babush Monseratte, who has already announced his plan to shift from Taleigao to Panaji.
He made a dent into Panaji by winning two consecutive City Corporation of Panaji elections by defeating Parrikar’s BJP panels.
It is an open secret that Parrikar had a secret arrangement with Babush in the last two Assembly poll, in order to win the Panaji seat.
Panaji Mayor Yatin Parekh had disclosed this secret at the recently held CCP election.
Hi Melvyn: Sorry correction. Imeant the combination of Ravi Naik & Parrikar...not Shiripad Naik
Shiripad Naik has got some good hair.
Hi Melvyn: I think this combination will make Ravi Naik lose all his remaining hair.
Naik as CM and Parrikar as Dy CM will be a very good combination. Hope people of Goa will make this happen by voting for BJP candidates and giving them a full majority.
For the forth coming election there's no way the BJP is going to win. i feel it's only parrikar who's the only minister in BJP who can take a position of Chief Minister. Shripad Naik being the Member of parliament has done nothing for the state and what u expect him to be our Chief Minister? excuse me my friends, the congress led government is the only secure government if governed by right candidate. we want Congress back in Goa for the forth coming election.