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Goa BJP, in transition, hits turbulence as internal divisions bubble up

While outgoing state BJP chief appears to pull up Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira, a Cabinet minister accuses a colleague of being involved in an alleged campaign to “defame Goa”.

On the sidelines of a meeting of the party core committee and legislators on January 6, outgoing BJP state president and Rajya Sabha MP Sadanand Shet Tanavade (left) appeared to rebuke Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira (right). (Photos: X)

Days before a new state BJP president is appointed in Goa, several party leaders and ministers have recently expressed discontent and traded barbs over a host of issues, bringing to the fore internal divisions.

On the sidelines of a meeting of the party core committee and legislators on January 6, outgoing BJP state president and Rajya Sabha MP Sadanand Shet Tanavade appeared to rebuke Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira, claiming that the latter “must introspect” whether he “fit” into the party’s system and adding that he must ponder whether he wanted to contest the 2027 Assembly election on a BJP ticket. Tanavade’s remark comes in the aftermath of the party’s failure to achieve its membership enrollment target in the Catholic-dominated Nuvem constituency in South Goa that Sequeira represents.

Sequeira, who also holds Law and Judiciary and Captain of Ports portfolios, was among eight ‘turncoat’ MLAs who moved from the Congress to the BJP in 2022. He was inducted into the Cabinet in November 2023, a decision seen as the fulfilment of a ‘commitment’ made at the time he made the switch.

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Tanavade later played down his remarks, saying he was merely responding to a question on the party failing to achieve 50% enrolment in some constituencies during a recent membership drive in the coastal state.

“Out of 40 constituencies, we were able to get a sizable membership and complete the procedures as per our criteria in 36 booths. In four constituencies — Benaulim, Nuvem, Velim, and Marcaim — we could not do so. In Nuvem, we have a minister from the BJP. So, I simply said this must be asked of the Minister, that why or how this happened. He joined the BJP from the Congress and did not fight the election on a BJP ticket … In the past, when we nominated members internally, we did not get 50% membership in that booth, that is also a reality. Almost 90% of the votes there are from the minority community. Also, sometimes ministers work, but people do not support,” Tanavade told The Indian Express.

Sequeira could not be reached for comment.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP lost South Goa to the Congress by 13,535 votes in a close contest, as the party put in a dismal performance in Salcete, the district’s most populous taluka that has a majority Christian population. The party polled fewer votes than the Congress in seven — Nuvem, Fatorda, Curtorim, Benaulim, Navelim, Velim and Cuncolim — of the eight Assembly segments in Salcete.

It is learnt that two days later, at a Cabinet meeting, a minister accused one of his colleagues of being involved in running a “toolkit” for an alleged campaign to “defame Goa”. According to party sources, at the meeting on January 8, the Minister raised the issue but did not name anyone. Recently, Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte slammed social media influencers for “defaming” Goa and claimed that some of them had been paid as part of a “toolkit” to malign the state’s image of the coastal state.

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Tanavade said while he was not present at the meeting, he had spoken to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant about the issue. “He (CM) said he would look into it. At such internal meetings, a lot of discussions happen,” said Tanavade.

In another development, former Public Works Department Minister (PWD) and Curchorem MLA Nilesh Cabral “criticised” Sawant for stalled projects in his constituency. At an event to induct the new president of the Curchorem mandal last week, Cabral referred to Sawant’s remarks, made last year, about completing pending projects in three years.

Cabral said he had initiated several projects in his constituency when he was a minister, but those projects had stalled. “A year has passed since the CM came to Curchorem and said ‘bhivpachi garaz na (no need to fear)’ and promised that all pending works would be completed soon. Two years are left for the next election and work on several projects is not moving ahead,” he added.

Cabral later said he had no intention of criticising the government and was only repeating what Sawant had said and his words had been taken out of context.

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The BJP has recommended seven names for the post of new state president, who is likely to be declared before January 20, said sources in the party. The list includes former MLAs Damodar Naik, Dilip Parulekar, Dayanand Mandrekar, and Dayanand Sopte; former Deputy CM Chandrakant Kavlekar, former MP Narendra Sawaikar, and Govind Parvatkar.

Tanavade said he had completed five years as state BJP president and considered himself fortunate to have been given the opportunity.

“One has to create space for others. Others should also get an opportunity. Whoever gets the responsibility has to ensure to take everyone along. I did that. I did not have any personal interest or enmity with anyone. The day I became president, I decided that I would not contest the Assembly elections so I could do justice to each constituency of Goa,” he said.