Panaji/Mapusa, Mar 25 (TOI): After Shiroda constituency, trouble has cropped up for BJP in Mapusa constituency as well.

Sudhir Kandolkar, who served the BJP for over 20 years, quit the party on Sunday after he was denied the BJP ticket for the Mapusa bypoll scheduled for April 23.

Later in the evening, Kandolkar joined Congress and is likely to be its candidate for Mapusa.

In a show of strength a day after BJP denied him the ticket, Kandolkar, a member of BJP state executive, held a meeting of his supporters on Sunday, which was attended by 500 persons.

After much deliberation, BJP on Saturday evening allotted the Mapusa ticket to Joshua de Souza, son of former deputy chief minister Francis de Souza.

“After discussion with my supporters and well-wishers today morning, I have resigned from BJP. I have sent my resignation to the party,” Kandolkar told TOI.

After the meeting, he dashed his resignation to the BJP president that he was resigning from the primary membershp fo the party and also from all other posts of the party.

A former chairperson of Mapusa Municipal council (MMC), Kandolkar felt betrayed that even after serving the party for over 20 years, there was no reward for him, a BJP source said.

“At least half of the councillors are with me,” Kandolkar said at the meeting.

Councillor Martin Carrasco was also present at the meeting.

‘Francis D’Souza had assured me I would get ticket next time’

Loyal BJP workers like me are facing injustice because BJP has been inducting people from outside the cadre. Deputy chief minister Vijai Sardesai’s interference led to me being denied the ticket by BJP. This interference is dangerous for the party,” Kandolkar said at the meeting.

He said all BJP leaders, including chief minister Pramod Sawant, had supported his candidature, but Sardesai’s intervention has seen him cut off ties with BJP. He slammed the BJP for allowing alliance partners and new entrants to decide about the party affairs.

Confirming that Kandolkar had quit BJP, state unit president Vinay Tendulkar said, “Every worker is important for the party, but the ticket can be given to only one. We are confident that BJP will retain the Mapusa seat.”

A source said BJP gave the ticket to Joshua, though a novice, as its survey showed his chances of winning were higher than other contenders from the party fold.

“Sympathy was not the factor counted while deciding on the Mapusa candidate,” the BJP source said.

Kandolkar had maintained that he had staked claim with BJP for the Mapusa ticket since he is sincere with the party and as a senior and loyal party worker for the past 20 years. Kandolkar is a three-time chairperson of MMC and has elected five times as the councillor and has also been the deputy chairperson and currently the councillor. His wife has also once elected as the councillor and has been the chairperson of MMC.

Kandolkar said that when he was first elected as the councillor in 1995, Francis D’Souza was in the opposition and he along with other made Francis change the mind and made him the chairperson.

“My leader Babush was great and I worked because of him and he used to tell me that next time it’s (ticket) for you. During the past election (2017), he (Babush) told me that this is his (Babush) last and next is you (Kandolkar)”, Kandolkar said.

Not all are sceptical about Kandolkar’s strengths and they believe he will pose a strong challenge to the BJP candidate. The fight will be more intense and interesting. “One cannot underestimate Kandolkar at this juncture, though Congress’ presence in Mapusa has, so far, been very weak. With Kandolkar as its candidate, Congress’ chances have been bolstered. Until a day before, it didn’t even have a strong candidate to field in Mapusa constituency,” a political observer said.