Goa CM says former Congress MLAs are his ‘Double Power’

Panaji: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday said that he has got ‘double power’ of former Congress MLAs, who joined BJP and hence winning both Lok Sabha election seats will not be a big issue.

“In 2019 (Lok Sabha election) we missed the victory in the South with few votes. We tried our best to win that election. But today changes have taken place. During that election Digambar Kamat, Ravi Naik, Alexio Sequeira (former Congress leaders) and MGP leader Sudin Dhavlikar were not with us. Now these leaders are in BJP. This means we have double power. Our strength has increased,” Sawant said while addressing BJP workers in Margao-South Goa.

He said that he has faith in party workers and the 'double power' BJP has now.

Former Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and Alexio Sequeira are among eight MLAs of Congress who switched to BJP in 2022 while former Chief Minister Ravi Naik joined BJP, two months before the assembly election 2022.

MGP’s MLA Sudin Dhavalikar, who is currently Power Minister in Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s government, worked against BJP in 2019 by supporting Congress leading to BJP’s South Goa candidate Narendra Sawaikar losing by 9755 votes, despite being then a sitting MP.

Dhavalikar was dropped from cabinet in the last term (2017 to 2022) of the BJP government after his two MLAs split from the regional party and joined the BJP then.

Senior politician Sudin Dhavalikar supported Congress in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, which helped grand old party’s candidate Francisco Sardinha to win from the South Goa seat.

Sawant said that Congress is creating a false narrative that the BJP will change the constitution.

“The Constitution is written by Babasaheb Ambedkar which can never be changed. The Constitution is not in danger. They are trying to create fear among minorities by saying that BJP will change the constitution. Congress has always done politics on caste and religion. We have never done such politics because Muslims and Christians are with us,” Sawant said.