PANAJI/MARGAO : The government on Tuesday relieved Damodar (Damu) Naik from the responsibility of chairmanship of the Entertainment Society of Goa so that the former Fatorda MLA completely devotes himself to party work in the state, which will see assembly elections in 2017.
Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar said that Naik, who had been ESG chairman since June 2014, had been asked to resign from the post, and his resignation accepted.
“I had asked him to resign so that he can fully concentrate on party work ahead of the assembly elections next year. He has resigned and the resignation has been accepted,” he stated.
Parsekar said that it was necessary as Naik would have had a busy schedule keeping in mind the preparations for the 47th International Film Festival of India, which begins on November 20.
Naik, who is also the spokesperson of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the state, said that he resigned from the post so as to concentrate on the Fatorda constituency and prepare fully to take on his rivals during the assembly elections.
He lost the 2012 assembly elections to Vijai Sardesai and during the Margao municipality elections the panel floated by the BJP under his leadership was trounced.
“I had been ready to resign for quite some time, but had been waiting for an auspicious moment. After the month of Mhaall (September), in the evening of October 3 I tendered my resignation…,’’ he said.
Naik said that as the IFFI would be held next month it would have been difficult for him to devote time equally to the film festival and to the constituency.
Asked whether there was any kind of pressure on him to resign in the backdrop of the allegations of demanding Rs 2 crore, Naik said the accusations were not a new thing.
“In 2014, there was an allegation about Rs 5 crore. This time it has been reduced to Rs 2 crore. I have not resigned owing to these allegations. The Chief Minister should investigate the allegations against me and my political rival Sardesai,’’ he said.