The BJP may not have been able to appoint its Chief Minister or even swear-in ministers after the February 14 assembly polls in Goa, but the party has already started preparing for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, according to state party president Sadanand Shet Tanavade.
Speaking to reporters, Tanavade also said that the state unit had already submitted profiles of winning candidates to the central BJP leaders and added that it was the central leaders who would take a call on whom to pick as chief minister. He also added that the name of the state's new chief minister could be announced after Holi, even as party sources claim that Pramod Sawant, who served as chief minister from 2019-22 and is the current caretaker CM, had already made the cut.
"BJP will win both MP seats in North Goa and South Goa constituencies. Before that we will win panchayat elections too. We have started planning for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and panchayat polls too. Hundred percent we will win," Tanavade told reporters, when asked about the party's preparations for both the electoral events on the horizon.
Explaining in detail about the purpose of his visit, along with Sawant, state BJP organising secretary Satish Dhond and the party's national general secretary in-charge of Goa C.T. Ravi to the national capital, Tanavade said they met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP national president J.P. Nadda among other central BJP leaders in Delhi on Wednesday.
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"After the Goa assembly polls, we have to submit an overall report to the central leadership. How many constituencies we won, where all we fell short. What we need to do in those areas where we lost now. What are the reasons. Such meetings are held in relation to all states where polls are held. Reasons behind victory and loss are assessed," Tanavade said.
When asked if names of potential chief minister for Goa were discussed at the meet, Tanavade said that a profile of all winners with their achievements had been submitted to the BJP's central leadership, which would now take a final call.
Tanavade also said that the BJP's central emissaries led by Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar was expected to arrive in Goa and the party's decision related to chief ministership would be known "in a couple of days".
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Tomar is expected to chaperone a meeting of the newly elected BJP legislators, where they would be informed about the name of the state's new chief minister.
BJP insiders however claim that Sawant's candidature had been endorsed by senior party leaders during his Delhi visit on Wednesday.
