Expressing confidence of pulling off a full majority, when votes polled in the Karnataka State Assembly polls are counted on May 15, BJP national president Amit Shah on Sunday exhorted party workers in Goa to ensure that the NDA wins upwards of 35 seats in the 40 member Goa legislative Assembly, in the next elections.
Shah was in Goa to address a convention of Bharatiya Janata Party’s booth workers in the coastal state, during which a video message of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is currently undergoing treatment for a pancreas-related ailment in the US, was also broadcast to several thousand BJP workers.
“There is no doubt that we will win a full majority in Karnataka. BJP will form its 21st National Democratic Alliance Government in the country,” Shah told booth workers in Goa, during his brief visit to the State on Sunday.
He also asked BJP workers to ensure that Goa doesn’t suffer from political instability.
“As BJP workers we have to make one resolve, to end the instability in Goa and only our booth structure and booth workers can do it. The workers of the 1600 odd booths should resolve today that in 2019, we will not only win both seats (lok Sabha) but when the next State Assembly elections are held, then the NDA will win more than 35 out of 40 seats and the BJP flag is kept flying high,” Shah said.
“Instability is an eclipse to the climate of development in Goa. BJP workers should ensure that the eclipse is done away with... There is repeated instability in Goa, where Governments come and go. I want to tell you, that like the last Government which ran for five years, this time too the Government will last for five years and go to the people for an even bigger mandate,” the top BJP leader also said.
Shah was obliquely responding to the Congress party, which has been criticising the BJP-led coalition Government Goa, over the “inability” of the BJP to give the state a full fledged Minister, with Parrikar away from the state for treatment. Congress leaders also staged a demonstration in Panaji, demanding a “full-fledged” Chief Minister for Goa.
Earlier on Sunday, Parrikar, who has been admitted to a US hospital since March, delivered a video address to party workers, in which he hinted that he could return to the State in a few weeks.
“last two months on account of health and because I had to leave for abroad for treatment, I could not meet you. But because the treatment is working well, I hope that in the coming few weeks I will join you with more vigour,” a gaunt-looking Parrikar said in his message.
Parrikar also said, that in order to ensure that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wins a full majority in the 2019 lok Sabha elections, BJP workers in the coastal State had to ensure, that the party wins both constituencies in Goa.
“The coming year is very important, because of the 2019 lok Sabha election, which is likely to be held in April or May next year. And to ensure that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government is returned to power, we need to ensure that we need to win big victories in both lok Sabha seats in Goa. I therefore ask you all to start preparations immediately,” Parrikar said.