Former Cong MLA addresses meet; Mandrem BJP block committee and workers boycott
>> Should be made minister in coalition govt
>> Should be given party ticket in by-polls
>> Election expenses to be borne by BJP
>> Persuade Parsekar to work for his success in by-poll
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PERNEM: Admitting that he could not take people of his Mandrem constituency into confidence before resigning as MLA and joining the BJP, former Congress MLA Dayanand Sopte said he had put forth four conditions before joining the BJP, one of which included being elevated as minister.
He was addressing a public meeting at the ZP hall in Mandrem on Sunday evening, the first such meeting in his Mandrem constituency since his decision to leave the Congress and join the BJP had triggered a major political storm and had angered a number of people and local leaders, including former chief minister and senior BJP leader Laxmikant Parsekar.
Incidentally, Sopte addressed the meeting without any banner of the BJP, in stark contrast to the public meeting by Parsekar on Friday which was decked up with BJP banners. Also significant was the absence of the Mandrem BJP block committee and workers, who boycotted the meeting addressed by Sopte.
Opening up to his well-wishers, Sopte said the political situation was such that he had no time to take the people into confidence before deciding the join the BJP.
“I would have taken you all into confidence, but had to rush to New Delhi at short notice due to political exigencies,” Sopte told the gathering.
He, however, said he had put forth four conditions at the time of resigning from the Congress and joining the BJP.
“The four conditions made to central and state BJP leaders before joining the party was that I be made minister and be given the party ticket for the Mandrem by-poll. I demanded that all election expenses be borne by the BJP and that, ex-CM Parsekar be persuaded to support me and work for my success in the by-poll,” said Sopte.
Speaking further on circumstances over his demand for a cabinet berth, Sopte told the gathering that during his meeting in New Delhi, central leaders were keen that senior leader Subhash Shirodkar, who also resigned along with Sopte, be elevated as minister.
“They wanted Shirodkar to be made minister, while I was to head an important corporation. However, Shirodkar said he did not want to be a minister and instead, asked that I be made minister,” said Sopte.
“When I met Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar while he was undergoing treatment at AIIMS hospital in New Delhi, he assured that I would be made minister by November 15 and that, I would serve as minister for the remaining three-and-half years of the government’s tenure.”
“I need your support to be elected in the by-poll and to complete this tenure,” said Sopte.
Reacting to widespread criticism that he had taken crores of rupees to leave the Congress and join the BJP, Sopte said: “I can place my hands on Lord Ganesh and swear that I did not taken a single rupee.”
Responding to another challenge by Congress and BJP workers for proof on the 103 jobs given by BjP to youth in Mandrem constituency, Sopte said he would provide list with details of those 103 youth who were given government jobs.
Hitting out at the Congress party, Sopte said the Congress had a great opportunity to form the government with 17 MLAs getting elected in 2017.
“However, there were too many leaders and this delayed their chance to form the government,” said Sopte.
Speaking out in support of Sopte, former Arambol sarpanch Anand Gadekar said those Congress leaders who were now talking against Sopte were never seen with him during the elections in 2017.
Morjim Sarpanch Shanti Poke, Mandrem Sanghavi Sawant, Paliem Sarpanch Uday Gawadi, Paliem Dy Sarpach Tarika Tari, Morjim Dy Sarpanch Amit Shetgaonkar and panchas also spoke on the occasion and pledged to support him.
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