Panaji: Stating that it is premature to announce the name of the new state president of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), outgoing state BJP chief Sadanand Tanavade on Tuesday said the names of Narendra Sawaikar and Damodar ‘Damu’ Naik are now in the final list of candidates as prepared by the central leadership of the party.
“It means either Sawaikar or Naik will be the new state BJP president,” he said.
Speaking further, Tana-vade told ‘The Navhind Times’ that national general secretary of the party Sunil Bansal will be arriving in Goa later this week as an observer to conduct the election.
“Bansal ji will arrive either on January 17 or January 18 and immediately hold meeting of the state BJP core committee after which a notification for the election would be issued by the party,” he said. Tanavade said that the next day, related nomination papers would be filed for the election.
Tanavade also said there would be a special programme to officially announce the name of the new state BJP president.
“I can only say that the name of the new state BJP president has not been decided yet, and hence both Sawaikar and Naik have equal chance to hold the post,” he said.
A number of speculative reports are being published as regards Damu Naik slated to be the next state BJP president. These reports also maintain that the Bhandari card held by Naik is responsible for his guaranteed rise to the top post in the state BJP unit.
Sawaikar is former Member of Parliament from South Goa, while Naik is ex-MLA from Fatorda constituency.
