The BJP has rubbished Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia's claim that the saffron party is going to replace Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant ahead of the next year's Assembly polls.
Goa BJP unit president Sadanand Shet Tanavade ruled out any change of leadership in Goa.
“There is no proposal of leadership change. The meeting which was held in Delhi on Friday discussed the election strategy for upcoming Goa elections,” he said referring to the meeting between himself, CM Sawant and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Sisodia told reporters at the AAP headquarters in Delhi that the BJP has decided to appoint a new Chief Minister because it has understood that it would be difficult for it to go to polls in Goa under Sawant's leadership.
People of Goa are unhappy with the State government under Mr. Sawant's leadership as his dispensation failed to deliver on various fronts during its term, Mr. Sisodia said.
"We have learnt from very reliable sources that the BJP is going to replace Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant just two-three months ahead of the elections in the State," Mr. Sisodia told reporters.
"The BJP has decided to remove Mr. Sawant and appoint a new Chief Minister as it has understood that it will be very difficult for the party to join the fray under his leadership because he did not work during his term. People are very unhappy with the Pramod Sawant government," he claimed.
Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his virtual address praised the Pramod Sawant-led BJP government earlier in the day. Addressing select beneficiaries and stakeholders of a Goa government scheme, the PM said Goa had topped in achieving the targets under 'Har Ghar Jal' (scheme), free ration for the needy, and also achieved a 100% coverage by administering the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
