Denied ticket, Deepak Pauskar resigns as MLA; set to contest against BJP

PWD Minister and BJP Sanvordem MLA Deepak Pauskar on Friday, January 21, resigned from the Goa Assembly, a day after he was denied the party ticket. He has resigned from the primary membership of BJP and have decided to contest against BJP as an independent.

On Thursday, hours after BJP released his first list of candidates, Pauskar blamed Chief Minster Pramod Sawant for his indifferent attitude towards him. "I knew that Sawant would backstab me at some point in time. Over these past two years, Sawant would avoid meeting me regarding issues concerning my constituents," he said.

He claimed he was hurt after BJP denied him a ticket and the saffron party will not cross single digits in the coming elections. "BJP will not cross single digits in assembly polls. I will contest as an independent and will start door-to-door campaigning from Friday. I am confident I will win the elections and work for the people of Sanvordem," he said.

"My decision to contest as independent has come from my supporters and well-wishers in all seven panchayats of Sanvordem constituency," he added.

He further said all his supporters will resign en masse in the coming days.

Pauskar had joined BJP in 2019 along with deputy chief minister Manohar Ajgaonkar after they merged MGP's MLA wing with BJP.

Pauskar, who was elected from the Sanvordem constituency in the 2017 Goa Legislative Assembly election, was denied a ticket by the BJP, who chose to field Ganesh Gaonkar instead.

In the 2017 Assembly polls, Congress had won 17 seats in the tiny coastal state to emerge as the single largest party. However, the BJP, which was in second place in terms of seats, quickly stitched an alliance with smaller parties and Independent MLAs to form its government in Goa.

The election for the 40 seats will take place on February 14, and the ballots will be counted on March 10.