Goa CM Pramod Sawant says BJP will win 30 seats, welcomes Independents

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has said the BJP will win 30 seats in the next Assembly elections and indicated that the party would welcome independent candidates who want to join it after the polls.

Speaking at the India Today Viksit Goa Summit in Panaji, Sawant was asked about the BJP's target of winning 30 seats in the 40-member Goa Assembly and whether the figure included legislators from other parties who might join the ruling party.

He replied, "We speak only about ourselves, not others. That is why I say the Bharatiya Janata Party will win 30 seats this time".

Asked whether the BJP was also eyeing the remaining 10 seats, the Chief Minister said the party was open to welcoming new entrants. "If someone wants to join, the Bharatiya Janata Party always welcomes them," he said.

Sawant also suggested that three or four independent candidates could win seats in the elections, adding that the BJP would have no objection to those who wanted to join the government and contribute to Goa's development.

"If someone says they want to be part of development, why should we say no?" he said.'BJP LEADERSHIP ATTRACTS OTHER PARTIES' LEADERS'

The interviewer pointed out that several Congress legislators had joined the BJP after the 2017 and 2022 Assembly elections, including 12 MLAs after the 2017 polls and eight in 2022.

Asked what made the BJP attractive to legislators from other parties, Sawant attributed it to the party's leadership and development agenda.

"They do not have confidence in their leadership there. When there is a trustworthy leader on this side, anyone will definitely come and join the Bharatiya Janata Party," he said.

The Goa CM also rejected the distinction between original BJP members and those who joined later. "Once someone joins the BJP, they become a BJP member. We do not think about who joined earlier and who joined later," Sawant stressed.ALREADY LEADING BJP'S POLL CAMPAIGN: SAWANT

The Chief Minister also said he was already leading the BJP's campaign for the next Assembly elections and expressed confidence that the party would formally give him the responsibility.

Asked whether the elections would be fought under his leadership, Sawant replied, "100 per cent".

"The party will give me the opportunity to lead the election campaign. The campaign has already started," he said.

Pramod Sawant became Chief Minister in 2019. The BJP won 20 seats in the 2022 Assembly election, which he said was fought under his leadership with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's support, which proved instrumental.

When asked whether he was claiming credit for the party's 2022 performance, Sawant said PM Modi's support was crucial but reiterated that the election had been fought under his leadership.- Ends