Margao: Former chief minister and BJP leader Digambar Kamat has said that the only challenge before his party in South Goa parliamentary seat is to give “maximum lead” for the candidate.
BJP has fielded business woman Pallavi Dempo as its candidate from South Goa constituency, which is currently represented by Congress MP Francisco Sardinha.
Kamat conceded that initially there was “minor feeling of being left out” amongst the cadres when ticket was given to Dempo. “There is bound to have feeling of being left out. But that was temporary. BJP is a cadre based party, once decision is taken, the cadre follows it.”
Kamat, who is the campaign in-charge for South Goa, said that the only challenge before the party is to get maximum lead in South Goa. “The candidate is going to win; our challenge is to get maximum lead,” he added.
The former chief minister, who got elected on Congress ticket from Margao assembly segment in 2022 polls and then joined BJP in the year 2023, said that he was offered to contest from South Goa by his party (BJP).
“I refused the ticket and told the party that I would prefer to be in Goa. After that, they (party) asked me to work for the candidate in this parliamentary constituency (south goa),” he said.
Kamat said that he has asked the cadres to work for the victory of the candidate, without getting over confident.
“I have fought eight elections from Margao assembly constituency. Every time, there are media reports that I will be certainly winning the election. But that time too, I have been telling the cadres not to get over confident,” he said.
When asked about the claim of the opposition that they will retain South Goa seat, kamat refused to speak on the rival parties. “Congress will always say that they will win the seat. They are contesting the election to win. I don’t want to comment on others. My focus is to get Pallavi Dempo got elected and contribute to make Narendra Modi, as the PM for the third time,” he said.
