PANAJI: Maintaining that there is no need at this point of time for the Bharatiya Janata Party to project a chief ministerial candidate from the Catholic community in view of the forthcoming state assembly elections, Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza on Saturday said that in the event of BJP returning to power a chief minister from the minority community could be sworn in if there is a consensus among the party leaders as well as members of the state BJP legislature wing, over the issue.
“But then, all that would be after the election,” he added.
Speaking to ‘The Navhind Times’, the Deputy Chief Minister stated that there is no quota or reservation for the post of the chief minister when a government of a party comes to power in a state.
“It is purely a democratic process, and an MLA who is elected the leader of the legislature wing has the privilege to be the chief minister,” he maintained.
D’Souza, who is slated to contest the 2017 state assembly polls from
Mapusa constituency on the BJP ticket, had in November 2014 threatened to resign from the party if not made the chief minister. The rebellion had come after Manohar Parrikar resigned as the state chief minister and was inducted in the Union cabinet, thus making the chief ministerial post vacant. D’Souza, who was supported by a number of party legislators in his revolt, finally gave up his demand and was retained as the deputy in the state BJP government.
The Deputy Chief Minister said the question of declaring a chief ministerial candidate of the BJP from a particular community does not arise now as the BJP government in the state during last five years, ruled without making any distinction among the communities.
“We ran so many social welfare schemes right from Dayanand Social Security scheme to Laadli Laxmi and Griha Aadhar to Deen Dayal Swasthya Seva Yojana, and members from all the communities were allowed to take their benefit without any discrimination,” he maintained.
D’Souza also said that he doesn’t see any need today, as in 2012, to take up Mission Salcete by the state unit of the BJP for garnering votes from the Catholic community.
“Today, we have succeeded in instilling confidence in the Catholic community that the BJP would be the right choice to rule the state,” he added, pointing out, “And the members of this community have no doubt about it.”
The Deputy Chief Minister mentioned that the presence of six MLAs from Catholic community, on the side of the state BJP government is a proof enough.
“I am confident that minority communities would stand by the BJP this time too,” he concluded.
State BJP president Vinay Tendulkar had recently informed that although the forthcoming state assembly polls would be fought under the leadership of Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, the decision on the next Chief Minister if the BJP forms the government, would be taken after the results.