The Hindu : Karnataka News : Row in Goa BJP over Parrikar’s candidature

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Wednesday, Jan 21, 2009
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Row in Goa BJP over Parrikar’s candidature

Special Correspondent

PANAJI: Not only the Congress-led ruling coalition in the State, but also the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is facing discomfort over selection of candidates for the coming Lok Sabha elections.

The BJP State election committee’s decision to include Leader of the Opposition and former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar in the list of probable candidates for South Goa parliamentary constituency has led to a controversy.

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy announced the decision on Sunday by adding that Mr. Parrikar had been included in the list though he was unwilling to contest the Lok Sabha elections.

The decision is seen as a move by the anti-Parrikar lobby in the party to corner him over the issue. South Goa constituency has been traditionally a stronghold of the Congress as the outcome of the election in this constituency is decided by Catholic-dominated Salcete taluk, which has nearly half of the Assembly segments.

With the issue linked to a prominent leader in the State appearing to be heading towards a controversy, which the BJP can ill-afford ahead of a major election, Mr. Rudy tried to downplay it stating that the parliamentary elections were in no way meant an attempt to ease out Mr. Parrikar from State politics.

Referring to the reluctance of Mr. Parrikar to accept BJP’s candidature for south Goa, Mr. Rudy said that there were instances where senior leaders of the party elected as MPs having returned to their respective States to take over as Chief Minister.

He reiterated that Mr. Parrikar had been recommended as many of the State election committee members felt that he had an edge over others as far as “winnability” is concerned.

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