At a massive public rally held by the Bharatiya Janata party which was billed as an inaugural election campaign for the five seats --- at the Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Maidan in Margao today 8/3/2005 at 1638 hrs IST speaker after speaker criticised Mr Digamber Kamat the ex BJP Minister for Urban Development Power and Mining and MLA Margao for his betrayal of the party and resigning from the BJP on 24 February 2005, without taking his party workers into confidence.
Youth leader of the BJP Mr Chandan Naik burst into an emotional frenzy when he narrated the incidents before the betrayal. "No one expected him to ditch us -- for he had built the Party in Margao from scratch and stood by him at his beck and call for the last over three terms ever since he was denied the ticket by his erstwhile INC Party" said Mr Chandan Naik. Mr Rupesh Mahatme a councillor from Margao Municipal Council bluntly stated that both he and Mr Manohar Babu Azgaonkar ex Margao Municipal Councilor and the MLA from Dhargalim Constitutency (reserved for the Scheduled Caste) had always ensured the victory of Mr Kamat and never expected him to betray at the last minute. He vowed to ensure that Mr Kamat is given a humiliating defeat in Margao. Mr Vijay Pai Khot the MLA from Canancona was very humourous in his brief speech he likened the act of Mr Digamber Kamat deserting the party to a husband who rushes to file divorce proceedings against his wife after admitting her to the maternity home for delivery. The similarity was drawn because while they both had brought Mr Mathany Saldanha from Mumbai on his return from Spain -- Mr Kamat had also left the BJP MLAs to Jaipur to avoid poaching by INC MLAs and returned to Goa to ditch the Party. Therefore this act of betrayal and alleged "suffocation" was uncalled for. In fact there is a strong rumour that twenty crores were paid for his switching sides.. he said. They also related an incident where Mr Kamat in the past had alleged that his actions as NLA were open to the extent that even the vegetable vendors and street hawker would attest his loyalty to the party and government --- or to the development works carried out by them. But now Mr Khot stated that both these sections of the society themselves wonder why Mr Kamat betrayed the party. Mr Manohar (Babu | Azgaonkar in his speech claimed to have warned Mr Parrikar of the machinations of Mr Kamat but he did not believe it -- now that it has come true -- Mr Azgaonkar said that "it was a shame for the Hindu Bamonn community of Margao for their own member from the community betrayed the party. Earlier there were fingers being pointed at him and that would have recieved enough criticism but now as it is their community member it is an insult for Margaoites who were known to elect late Mr Babu Naik even though he would sit in the opposition" . He was all praise for Mr Mathany Salhanas of the UGDP for his principled stand in not deviating his support to the party for the sake of Goa and its development. This won a thunderous applause from those gathered. Mr Ajgaonkar also vowed to ensure that Mr Kamat was defeated in Margao at any cost. Mr Manohar Parrikar speaking on the ocassion confirmed that the file related to ex MLA Filipe Neri Rodrigues did contain the original form of membership and this was acknowledged by the Speakers office -- If it has now disappeared then it is not the fault of the ex Speaker Mr Vishwas Satarkar --but he did not elaborate why the file a document of the Speakers secretariat was taken home by the Speaker. Mr Vishwas Satarkar was also present on the ocassion. Mr Kamat he said was taken in confidence for all matters. Mr Parrikar also in his address gave a hint that sooner or later the House will be dissolved. This point was also reiterated by Mr Pramod Mahajan BJP Party General Secretary looking after the Goa desk who was the chief guest of the evening. Mr Mahajan stated that after the budget for Goa is passed by around 24th March, 2005 there will be no other alternative but to ensure the dissolution of the Goa Assembly and order fresh elections. The House needs to approve this and this may be difficult in the Rajya Sabha he stated apparently referring to the present strenght which were favourable to the BJP. He also stated aggressively that Mr Parrikar who was the Chief Minister of Goa in the current Assembly from 4.6.2002 would come back as a Chief Minister by 4.6.2005. Others who spoke were Mr Franciso De Souza MLA Mapusa Mr Shripad Naik Member of Parliament Panaji Parliamentary Constituency and Mr Rajendra Arlekar the President of the Bharatiya Janata Party. But the crowd is still debating what led to the actual reason for Mr Kamat to betray the party after supporting it in the first test on the floor of the House on 2/2/2005 and also going to Jaipur. Many suspect that the involvement of his firm held in his spouses name having dealings with M/s Cross Chem the company awarded the contract for removing the River Princess which was featured prominently the on an English daily on the eve of his quiting the party. others allege it was probably the mine owners or the builders lobby who could have been responsible. Later Mr Pramod Mahajan inaugurated a new office of the BJP on the second floor of Marchon Building near Bank of Baroda - Lohia Maidan. The office earlier belonging to Mr Hanuman Narayan Lawande a builder and hotelier was donated by Mr Lawande to the party. Today being Mahashivratri is an auspicious day for the Hindu community. The need for an office arose because the day Mr Kamat quit the BJP he took along with him the earlier office used by the BJP which belonged to him The office is yet to be furnished and given a fresh coat of paint and the staircase leading to the same was in darkness. Meanwhile a large number of people -- mainly councillors and others greeted Mr Digamber Kamat at his residence in Margao on the ocassion of his birthday. Though todays BJP meeting was not intended to clash with Mr Kamats birthday the non availability of Mr Mahajan is attributed to the coincidence. As the ground swell for disolution of the Assembly is gaining ground the Indian National Congress MLAs have pressed the panic buttons of distress --- but not knowing what the INC at the Centre the High Command will decide ---- as it is Presidents Rule and keeping the assembly under suspended animation came to the INC as a shock after tasting victory. Hence taking no chances the INC MLAs have left for Delhi to impress upon the High Command the need to have the bye election fast and also perhaps demanding the sacking of Mr Shivraj Patil the Union Home Minister for the stigma he attached to the conduct of the Speaker Mr Francisco Sardinha on 4th March 2005. No candidate has since been announced by the BJP but there are some indications that one Dr Desh Prabhudesai ex SPDA Chairman closely related to the ex CM Mr Parikar may be considered another feeler is that a Catholic candidate may be preferred as thus far Mr Digmaber Kamat has an edge considering that even though he was in the BJP he had acquainted himself well with all communities and all sections of the society. But it is for the Hindu Saraswat community to decide and indications at this stage is that their vote will split by atleast a third in favour of the INC. from the Lohia Maidan, Margao GODFREY J I GONSALVES BORDA MARGAO GOA [EMAIL PROTECTED] ________________________________________________________________________ Yahoo! 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