Shripad Naik faces stiff opposition from partymen for Lok Sabha poll candidature

PANAJI: Union Ayush minister Shripad Naik is facing stiff opposition from his own partymen in North Goa constituency that has elected him to the Lok Sabha for four terms. BJP workers of Mapusa and Siolim mandals are upset with Naik for not visiting them after getting elected and have said the party should put up a young candidate.
The 66-year-old Naik has never lost an election from the North Goa seat and at the last elections in 2014, he won with a margin of over 1 lakh votes in a constituency that has 5.2 lakh registered voters.

It was at a BJP mandal meeting on Thursday that the party workers led by Mapusa mandal general secretary Akhil Parrikar raised the issue of resentment by the rank and file against Naik. He said there was a feeling among the partymen that Naik visits them only when the elections are declared and “disappears after that”.

Sources said at least nine karyakartas spoke against Naik and said despite repeated requests to visit Mapusa and listen to their grievances, he did not meet them.

“We had taken up this issue several times with him, but nothing happened,” a karyakarta said.

“I have been following up the matter with Naik to come to Mapusa, but he did not oblige. He should have been in touch with Mapusa karyakartas,” he said.

Another karyakarta said the mandal had been telling Naik to make available himself at Mapusa municipality so that he can interact with people and address their grievances.

“But till date Naik did not adhere to our request,” another Karyakarta said.

Sources said some of the party workers were vociferous in demanding for a change in his candidature and said they wanted a young candidate.

But sources said the party workers, however, promised the BJP office-bearers present for the meeting that they wouldn’t work against the party. “If the party decides to field Naik, then we will work in the common interest. We will work hard to bring back Modi government in Delhi,” the source quoted karyakartas as saying.

At the Siolim BJP mandal meeting held recently, too, the party workers expressed resentment as Naik did not make himself available to them.