BJP Goa revitalises OBC heft, 1st Bhandari party chief in 15 years

Panaji: Focusing on other backward class (OBC) electors, specifically from the Bhandari community, after the Lok Sabha results and in the run-up to elections up to the 2027 assembly poll, BJP has brought back a Bhandari community face to lead the party in Goa after a 15-year gap.

The strategic move to choose Damodar “Damu” Naik aims to strengthen the party’s connection with the Bhandari community and enhance its appeal among OBC voters. The immediate challenge BJP faces is the zilla panchayat elections, scheduled in Dec this year, followed by the municipality elections in 2026.

Disappointed with the Lok Sabha election, in which BJP secured only its North Goa stronghold, and lost the South Goa seat even when the opposition was weak, BJP felt that OBC and ST voters were moving away from the party.

The last BJP state president from the Bhandari community was appointed in 2010, with Shripad Naik — who became a Union minister of state — taking the helm.

After that, two presidents were from the Maratha community: former chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar and Rajya Sabha member Sadanand Shet Tanavade, besides former MLA and Rajya Sabha member Vinay Tendulkar from the Gomantak Maratha Samaj.

The Goa electoral equation shows there are 65% Hindu votes, among which 27% are OBC and around 10% are ST, followed by about 22% Christian and around 11% Muslim. A political observer said that of the 27% OBC votes, three-fourths are from the Bhandari community, and overall, 19% of the electors are from the Bhandari community.

“BJP reasoned that Damu Naik would be the best option to lead the party in the current circumstances, and will be acceptable to the OBC community,” a senior BJP member said.

It was clear from the shortlisted names of seven nominees for the post of BJP state president that the next chief would be from the Bhandari community. Five of the seven names were from that community.

While BJP is making all efforts to reserve four assembly constituencies for the ST community, there has also been a demand to reserve constituencies for the OBC community. BJP calculated that if it had an OBC president, the community would have confidence in the party that its voice would be heard and it would get justice.

When the last election for the BJP state president was held five years ago, there was a strong case from the OBC community that as chief minister Pramod Sawant is from the Maratha community, the party president should be from the OBC community. Naik was the front runner along with Tanavade.

The party now felt that the time has come to give an opportunity to a notable from the OBC community. “After one and a half decades, Naik, who belongs to the OBC community, got an opportunity to head the party,” a political observer said.

The first challenge Naik would face is the zilla panchayat elections, which are fought in Goa on party lines.

“Naik’s organisational skills would be tested at the first election, which is just 11 months ahead,” a political observer said. Naik contested five assembly elections since 2002, winning two consecutive terms and facing three consecutive losses.

He may have a smooth passage through zilla panchayat and municipality elections, but the target set by the party to win 27 seats in the 2027 assembly poll would be a big challenge for him, a political observer said.

After the previous three elections — in 2012, 2017, and 2022 — BJP formed govt in the state.

“There would be a huge anti-incumbency issue for the party and MLAs. With the president from the OBC community, the party will have some relief,” a political observer said.

BJP did not only apply its mind to select its party president, but it also balanced the caste factor while appointing district presidents. In North Goa, BJP elected the district president from the Bhandari community, while in South Goa, it elected an incumbent from the ST community.