SATURDAY, JULY 06, 2024
Team Herald
MARGAO: In an unexpected twist in local politics, Ketan Kurtarkar, a former councillor and prominent local leader, has resigned from the BJP, along with his sister, Dr Sushant Kurtarkar, a current councillor of the Margao Municipal Council. This move has sparked intense discussions among political circles, as both Kurtarkar siblings were previously seen as pillars of support within the BJP ranks.
Ketan Kurtarkar’s resignation from the BJP, especially considering he was once General Secretary of the Margao BJP mandal, is being viewed as a significant blow to Margao MLA Digambar Kamat, with both Kurtarkars openly criticising his leadership for neglecting their developmental initiatives.
Speaking to reporters, Ketan said they were initially optimistic when Digambar Kamat joined the BJP party, highlighting their high hopes for positive developments in Margao under his leadership. “However, it was observed that grassroots and key workers of the BJP were being sidelined by the MLA,” Ketan alleged. “Even the efforts of BJP workers and leaders went unnoticed, with preference given to those who recently joined. Workers like us have always stood by the party, but we felt disheartened when we were overlooked,” he continued, shedding light on their decision to resign from the party.
He further claimed that dedicated workers of the BJP are not only being sidelined in Margao but also across the entire state of Goa. “My sister and I had informed the party leaders before taking the decision to resign from the party,” said Ketan. He alleged that the Margao MLA consistently provided assurances but failed to follow through with tangible work. He also cited several reasons for resigning from the party, including the MLA’s failure to effectively resolve issues related to the sewage network. “There are several issues in Margao that require urgent attention, but the MLA failed to address them,” said Kurtarkar. “Shockingly, it has been observed that preference was given by Kamat to non-Goans rather than Goans. Our decision to resign has been carefully considered,” he concluded, highlighting concerns over local issues and alleged favouritism that influenced their decision to resign from the BJP. “Will decide about joining another party after deliberating the issue with the workers,” said Kurtarkar.
Reacting to the allegations, MLA Digambar Kamat refuted all accusations levelled against him by the Kurtarkars. “I have never held back developmental works in any wards of Margao constituency. Perhaps Kurtarkar was waiting for a reason to say goodbye to the party,” stated MLA Digambar Kamat in response to the allegations.
Damodar Shirodkar, Chairperson of the Margao Municipal Council, stated that the resignation of Ketan and Councillor Sushant Kurtarkar won’t have any impact on him. When contacted, BJP State president and MP
Sadanand Shet Tanavade said, “Ketan Kurtarkar resigning is not new. He had quit the party in September 2022 when Margao MLA Digambar Kamat joined BJP. He is not a party cadre like Sharmad Raiturkar and Rupesh Mahatme.”
