'Confident of win, margin will be more than last election': Shripad Naik

Panaji, Apr 21 (UNI) Union Minister for AYUSH and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s candidate for Lok Sabha elections in North Goa constituency Shripad Naik on Sunday exuded confidence of winning the elections for the fifth term and claimed that he would win the election by more margin that what he got in 2014 elections.

In an interview to UNI, the BJP MP said,' Campaign was very good. We went to all the panchayats and villages. The campaign was taken up in three phases. The campaign comprised corner meetings, booth worker meetings and public meetings. National leaders also took part in the campaign and we are very happy with the response which we received. People wish that there is government of Modi ji once again and I become MP for fifth time.'

He claimed that going by the reponse received from the people, he was confident victory margin in this election would be more than 2014 which was 1,06,000.

The senior BJP leader said issue in this election was development which he had brought during his tenure of five years.

'During the last five years, from the MPLAD scheme 311 projects were started and out of them 303 were completed while rest of them are underway. I have given the entire details to the people. And then the way state government worked and introduced schemes that is also noteworthy. Work done by central government also is remarkable. This is the reason that people are saying that Modiji should be prime minister once again,' he said.

On allegations of his rivals that work was not done in his constituency, he said that was known to those whose work had been done.

'People know that my rivals have not seen North Goa. Unless they visit the constituency, how will they know. There is record of work done. They can and check with Collector,' he said.

On another allegation that BJP MPs were silent in Parliament on various issues of Goa, he said it was totally false because being a mininster he had worked not only in the country but abroad also.

'Being a minister I have been to various countries done work there. I have nurtured constituency as well. Where is the question of being inactive?. Only those who have not done anything can talk like this,' he said.

On mining, he said it was Congress which was responsible for closure of mining in the state.

'It is Congress which closed mining. Shah Commission was sent by Congress. Then Union Minister Jayanti Natarajan had cancelled environment certificates on the basis of findings of Shah Commission. Former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar ji had tried to start mining again but Goa Foundation and Congress went to Supreme Court and ensured that mining is closed. BJP has not closed mining. Even compensation to mining dependents was given by Goa Government. Efforts were made to restart mining. We met prime minister and he assured us find a solution to the issue after elections,' he said.

He said after getting elected, his priority would be to work for resumption of mining in the state.

'Along with tourism, mining is also a source of income for us. Many people are dependent on it and we will try to start it as soon as possible. We are also committed to do whatever is possible for tourism and employment opportunities in the state,' he said.

North Goa Lok Sabha constituency will go for polls on April 23, 2019.