BJP tribal leaders at loggerheads

TAWADKAR DISMISSES GAUDE’S CLAIMS, RIDICULES HIS ANTICS, AND CALLS FOR PARTY ACTION

- THE GOAN | NETWORK

The ongoing war of words between BJP tribal leaders — Sports Minister Ramesh Tawadkar and his predecessor, MLA Govind Gaude — escalated over the weekend, with Tawadkar launching a scathing attack on Gaude and even urging the party leadership to take disciplinary action against him.

Tawadkar pulled no punches in his remarks, reigniting the controversy surrounding the “Shah Jahan” episode. In a sarcastic jibe, he said he would recommend that the government confer the Gomant Bhushan award on Gaude for his “artistic” contributions and his dramatic changes in behaviour.

The Minister went further, asserting that he had only joined the Pramod Sawant-led Cabinet at the insistence of the BJP leadership, in the party’s interest. He pointed out that Gaude, in contrast, had been dropped from the Cabinet due to his offensive language.

Responding to Gaude’s recent claims that he had supported Tawadkar since the formation of the Adarsh Yuvak Sangh and during the es-