BJP has a problem to deal with in Mapusa

NT NETWORK

PANAJI

Even though former deputy chief minister Francis D’Souza’s son Joshua and former chairperson of Mapusa municipal council Sudhir Kandolkar have expressed confidence that they will get the Bharatiya Janata Party ticket for the Mapusa bypoll, both have also stated that if the party denies the ticket, they will contest the bypoll either as an independent or candidate of some other political party.

The Mapusa bypoll has been necessitated due to the death of MLA Francis D’Souza.

Speaking to media on Wednesday outside the Assembly complex, Joshua, who was accompanied by Calangute MLA and Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo, said that he has made a claim for BJP ticket for the Mapusa bypoll and expressed confidence that the party will nominate him as its candidate to continue the legacy of his late father.

When asked what will be his stand if BJP denies him the ticket, Joshua categorically said that he will take a call after meeting his supporters from Mapusa constituency.

“I have already begun my campaign for the bypoll. I have been meeting people from the constituency and I am overwhelmed with the support of voters. My father was loyal to the party. People from Mapusa were with my father for the last 20 years and they want me to contest the by-election,” he said, claiming that he is a winning candidate for the Mapusa bypoll.

Kandolkar told this reporter that he has also started his campaign for the bypoll and expressed confidence that BJP will give him the ticket.

When asked whether he will go ahead with the decision of contesting the bypoll even if the party

denies him the ticket, Kandolkar, who was a loyalist of the former MLA, said that he will have to contest because “I have supporters in Mapusa and how will I face them if I back out?”

Interestingly, Joshua on Wednesday met Chief Minister Pramod Sawant along with Lobo.

Goa Forward Party chief and Deputy Chief Minister Vijai Sardesai also informed the media that he has given his opinion to BJP leaders suggesting them to give ticket to Joshua.