Ex-RSS Goa chief joins active politics

Former Goa unit RSS chief Subhash Velingkar Sunday announced that he had "officially joined politics" as it was "the right time now". Velingkar, who had a long association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh but never fought any poll, was removed from the Sangh Parivar in 2016 for continually criticising Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar for giving grants to English-medium schools in the state.

Velingkar told reporters that 'Bharat Mata Ki Jay', the non-political outfit he headed, had in a meeting held on Sunday unanimously allowed him to enter politics through the Goa Suraksha Manch. The GSM is a political outfit mentored by Velingkar in the run-up to the 2017 Goa Assembly polls.

"Since I was BMKJ chief, and since it was a non-political organisation, I could not get into politics all this while without its permission. Today, BMKJ took a unanimous decision to allow me to join GSM," Velingkar said. "I have officially joined politics now. The time is right for me to join politics," he claimed.

On being asked if he had any plans to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Goa, Velingkar said it was a decision the GSM would take. "But I will not contest from Panaji assembly seat (currently held by CM Parrikar)," he said. Velingkar told reporters that the GSM could possibly fight the Lok Sabha polls next year in alliance with the Shiv Sena.