Mahadev submits papers for Shiroda

PONDA: Mahadev Naik filed his nomination for the Shiroda byelection on a Congress ticket, on Tuesday.
Claiming he would win the seat for Congress this time, Naik listed the projects he had completed in his capacity as a BJP minister in the previous government.
Referring to former Congressman Subhash Shirodkar, Naik said the electorate would not support a person who ditched Congress.“My previous party supporters have come with me to Congress. They were waiting for me to get a ticket and will work to get me elected,” he told reporters.
Naik blamed his 2017 election defeat on “bad strategy” by senior BJP leaders. However, he said he is thankful he lost the election on the BJP ticket. “It is because I lost the election on a BJP ticket that I could do a ghar wapsi (return home),” he said.
The former BJP man said that during his earlier term as a minister he carried out a lot of development, including constructing a hospital and the Rs 52-crore Mhaisal water treatment plant and had also introduced two industrial estates to the constituency.
He said things are looking up for Congress, adding that the recent elections in four states showed people’s trust in the party. “Goa will also back Congress candidates,” he said. He was supported by Ponda MLA Ravi Naik, Nuvem MLA Wilfred D’Sa, Cuncolim MLA Cleofato Dias, Velim MLA Felipe Neri Rodrigues and Taleigao MLA Jennifer Monserrate.