Members of GFP’s Mayem block step into BJP fold

Panaji: Goa Forward Party (GFP) Mayem block president and ex-sarpanch of Piligao panchayat Pradip Naik, Piligao sarpanch Shankar Bablo Jalmi and other GFP members on Monday joined BJP.
Jalmi was the convener of GFP’s ST Wing. Naik and Jalmi along with Piligao deputy sarpanch Urmila Umakant Parab Gaonkar, former deputy sarpanch Lalana Shantaram Gimonkar, panch and general secretary of GFP’s youth wing, resigned from the primary membership of GFP.
Speaking to mediapersons, BJP state president Sadanand Shet Tanavade welcomed all the new entrants into the party.Tanavade said Mayem is a BJP stronghold and the party has continued to win assembly elections in Mayem. He also said that BJP has a strong grassroots cadre in Mayem.
The state BJP president also said that the joining of Goa Forward members will strengthen BJP’s base in Piligao. Tanavade said that the new members have joined unconditionally and the panchayat members who have quit GFP and joined BJP will continue to remain as panchas, and lauded them for their “good decision” to join the party.
BJP Mayem MLA Pravin Zantye said that after joining the party, BJP has grown stronger in Piligao and this will help usher in more development in the village.
Naik said that they have joined BJP to carry out development in Piligao. He also said that even when they were in GFP, BJP had taken up development works, and added that they have not joined BJP under pressure.