Panaji: BJP’s St Andre block opposes Silveira’s entry

PANAJI: A delegation from BJP St Andre mandal led by Ramrao Wagh met state party president Vinay Tendulkar on Tuesday and opposed local MLA Francis Silveira’s induction into the party.
Wagh, who contested the St Andre seat on BJP ticket during the 2017 state assembly elections, alleged that Silveira has been calling local karyakartas to seek their support in joining the party.
“Silveira has told BJP workers that he wants to carry out development works in St Andre for which he wants to join the party,” Wagh said, adding that Silveira had told people that his induction was delayed only due to opposition from the local unit.
Tendulkar allayed the fears and told the angry workers that the party had no plans to induct any opposition MLA.
“Even if Silveira tells people that he is joining BJP, we have decided not to induct any MLA from other parties as the government is stable,” Tendulkar said.
The delegation also made a representation to chief minister Pramod Sawant. Speculations have been rife for the last couple of months about the possibility of Silveira joining BJP.
Brother of the former St Andre MLA Vishnu Wagh, Ramrao said he has told the party that they will reclaim the seat for BJP in the next election. “We urge the chief minister not to induct Silveira into BJP and instead give us the opportunity to bring the seat back to BJP,” he said.
Wagh had lost the St Andre seat by over 5,000 votes in 2017, while his brother Vishnu had won the seat for the first and only time in 2012. When asked about their future course of action in the eventuality that the party inducts Silveira despite opposition, Wagh said, “We have full faith in the party.”
BJP St Andre mandal president Ravindra Borkar said Silveira has started consulting the people of the constituency about his decision to join BJP. “We will not support Silveira if he joins BJP and contests the byelection on BJP ticket,” Wagh said.
Amid rumours that he would leave Congress, Cuncolim MLA Clafasio Dias held a meeting with his supporters at Chandor to clear the air. Later Dias told TOI that he had no intention of joining BJP. For sometime now, Congress party has said that the BJP is wooing their MLAs with money.