Didn’t field women due to winnability factor: BJP (Herald)

Didn’t field women due to winnability factor: BJP

April 9, 2014

What is BJP’s poll strategy for Goa?

VINAY TENDULKAR, BJP president:  Party had begun its poll campaign much before the elections were declared. The campaign was launched with ‘Ek Note Kamal pe Vote’, wherein we did door-to-door visits collecting voluntary contributions from the public for elections. After the candidates were announced, the party decided to approach panchas, sarpanchas, religious heads and village heads or wards and attempted to reach out to people through them. Small meetings, get-together are been organized. We would be also reaching out to backward class such as STs, SCs and OBCs.

Despite an assurance, why did the party failed to field any women candidates for these elections too?

Goa being a very small state, there are only two parliamentary seats and at this moment we are looking at winability, as our aim is to clinch 272 seats or to reach close to it. Shripad bhai has already won from North thrice and for last elections in 2009 Sawaikar lost by hardly few votes. So this year, both are our winning candidates. But for the next 2017 assembly elections, we assure to give reservation to women for the ticket

Will Modi factor work in Goa?

A) The deciding factor in Goa would be the voters. Manohar Parrikar is the face of BJP in Goa. People respect him, love him as he is a clean politician. People will vote for BJP as they have seen the development undertaken by the party. People will vote for BJP and for Parrikar.

You can’t call Modiji factor as such people look at him as a leader who can lead India in the right direction. He is a populist leader and people want to see him as the next Prime Minister of India.  

How  will  the Party  woo  the  minority  communities  at a  time when Modi is not  acceptable to  all? How will you return to the Catholic segment?

A) I don’t think the minority section is against BJP for any reason. Catholic dominated constituencies in South basically Benaulim, Nuvem, Navelim, the local MLAs are with BJP. There may be news about minority, especially Catholic segment shifting their loyalties but the ground reality is different.

BJP was never a communal party and it is for secularism. Party headed by Modiji will go ahead taking together all communities, sections, religions, caste, etc.

Will it be a straight fight between Congress and BJP in Goa or will AAP or regional parties have any impact?

A) There is no doubt that the fight would be between Congress and BJP, at least in Goa. It would be very difficult to think whether AAP or regional outfits would be able to pull at least five thousand votes, together. BJP is the only option to the corrupt Congress–led UPA government.

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