MARGAO: Even though BJP has decided to contest 37 seats and in three constituencies of Salcete to extend support to independent candidates, the candidates who supported the BJP-led government in these five years have refused to accept its support for the forthcoming election.
The BJP leadership, on Tuesday, stated that the party will contest 37 seats and in Velim, Benaulim and Nuvem – all three constituencies of Salcete – they would extend their support to those candidates.
While Benaulim and Nuvem are represented by Caetano Silva and Francis Xavier Pacheco alias Mickky, Velim constituency by Benjamin Silva.
Caetano Silva said, “I do not know whom the BJP will support in Benaulim. If there are hardly 700 to 800 votes, why would anyone accept their support. I am now contesting election as independent from Benaulim constituency. Goa Vikas Party (GVP) MLA Silva said that he is not prepared to accept BJP support in the forthcoming election. Besides Silva, there are three others, including ZP member Maria Rebello, who are likely to try their luck.
“If the BJP has any local candidate to contest on their ticket let them field that person. There is hardly any presence of BJP in Velim. I am contesting the election as independent,” said Benjamin Silva, independent MLA of Velim, who had extended his support to BJP government and was offered chairmanship of the Khadi board.
He further stated that he is not depending on BJP support in the forthcoming election. “I had supported BJP for development of the constituency and nothing else,” he stressed, adding, he goes forward by taking his supporters into confidence.
The third constituency, which the BJP ignored, is Nuvem that was represented by former GVP MLA Francis Xavier Pacheco. Pacheco, who extended GVP support to BJP and in return was offered a berth which he held till he was arrested and jailed in an assault case, has now joined the Goa Su Raj Party and is likely to contest the election on two candles symbol.
It is, therefore, unclear whom the BJP would extend support to in Nuvem. Though Pacheco could not be contacted for his comment, sources close to him, stated that his new found party would never accept support from BJP in the election.
Sources said that BJP is trying to find candidates in these Catholic-dominated constituencies. While for Curtorim, Margao, Cuncolim, Fatorda, the party has found probable candidates, the ruling side could not finalise candidate for Navelim, apart from three constituencies of Velim, Nuvem, and Benaulim.