Will not quit as MLA or BJP member ex-Goa minister Gaude

Panaji, Jun 22 (PTI) Sacked Goa Art and Culture Minister Govind Gaude, who had alleged corruption in the Tribal Welfare Department headed by CM Pramod Sawant, on Sunday said he would not resign as MLA or quit BJP and continue to work for tribal people.
    Addressing a public rally at Marcel village in the Priol assembly constituency, Gaude said he has written letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief J P Nadda, and President Droupadi Murmu informing them about "happenings in the coastal state".
    The tribal leader was sacked from the Sawant cabinet on Wednesday, almost a month after he alleged corruption in the Tribal Welfare Department.
    Gaude said he would not resign as an MLA or from the BJP membership.
    "I had not joined the BJP to resign from the party. I will stay with the party and help PM Modi achieve his dream of Viksit Bharat 2047," he added.
    Gaude claimed he was not allowed to meet the party brass, including Nadda, during the last three-and-a-half years. "Now, I know why they did it," he added.
    He claimed Sawant had called him over the phone and asked him to resign due to "pressure from Nadda".
    "Sawant told me that there was pressure from JP Nadda and asked me to resign. But he (Sawant) later told the media that it was his decision (to remove me from the cabinet)," Gaude alleged.
    Gaude said tribals in Goa have been struggling for justice for the last 60 years.
    "I am fighting for their rights. Their demands should have been discussed, not the statement that I made about inefficiency and corruption in the Tribal Welfare department," the former minister said.
    He said he would send copies of his speech to BJP leaders in Delhi to prevent wrong interpretation or narrative.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)