Pramod Sawant won’t be replaced, will lead Goa into Elections 2022: BJP

NEW DELHI: The BJP leadership, both in Delhi and Goa dismissed the AAP statements as “rumour and mischief” and strongly asserted that Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant will not be replaced as State CM and will lead the state into the 2022 polls.

Earlier in the day, the AAP claimed that it has learnt from “reliable sources” that the BJP is set to replace Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant ahead of next year’s assembly polls as people are unhappy with the performance of the state government.

The Goa BJP leadership dismissed the Aam Aadmi Party’s statement as a rumour and mischief.

Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters, senior AAP leader and Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia claimed that the BJP has decided to appoint a new chief minister because it has understood that it would be difficult to go to polls under Mr Sawant’s leadership.

People of Goa are unhappy with the state government under Mr Sawant’s leadership as his dispensation failed to deliver on various fronts during its term, Mr Sisodia said.

“We have learnt from very reliable sources that the BJP is going to replace Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant just two-three months ahead of the elections in the state,” Mr Sisodia told reporters.

“The BJP has decided to remove Sawant and appoint a new chief minister as it has understood that it will be very difficult for the party to join the fray under his leadership because he did not work during his term. People are very unhappy with the Pramod Sawant government,” he claimed.

The AAP leader asserted that his party will emerge victorious in the upcoming assembly polls in Goa even after appointment of a new chief minister by the BJP.

“Just by changing the face, people will not be deceived. By replacing the current chief minister with someone else, mood of the people will not be changed. People will give their mandate to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the upcoming Assembly elections,” he said.

Mr Sisodia listed various failures of the BJP government under Chief Minister Sawant and alleged that it was “sitting idle” when the number of Covid positive cases were increasing in the state.

“As a result, the infection rate reached 50 per cent, highest in the country. Goa panchayats had to impose lock down to prevent spread of COVID-19,” he said.

Targeting the BJP, the AAP leader also accused the Goa government of making a false promise of providing employment to 10,000 youth and increasing salary of the “corona warriors” by 20 per cent.

He also alleged that the Goa government has failed in controlling “rising crime” in the state.

(with inputs from PTI)