Margao: A delegation of scheduled tribe MLAs, ministers, and leaders called on chief minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday, pressing him to vigorously pursue the demand for political reservation of STs in Goa and ensure the process is completed before the 2027 assembly elections.The delegation comprised assembly speaker Ganesh Gaonkar, tribal welfare minister Ramesh Tawadkar, MLAs Govind Gaude and Anton Vas, and former minister Prakash Velip.The meeting came in the wake of a delegation led by Sawant having met Union home minister Amit Shah on June 8 to urge that assembly seats be reserved for the ST community ahead of the next polls. Shah had reportedly assured the delegation that a decision would be conveyed to the CM within 10 days, a deadline that has since elapsed without any formal communication.“We had come to meet the CM to know if there has been any communication on the issue so far. We have urged him to pursue the issue with the Centre vigorously, and the CM has assured us positively,” Tawadkar told reporters after the meeting.Tawadkar also signalled that the community’s patience was not unconditional. “So far, govt’s approach to the issue has been positive. The day govt takes a negative stand, we will explore other options to press for the demand,” he said in response to a query.The demand centres on implementing the Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of the State of Goa Act, 2025, which has received presidential assent, but still awaits a central govt notification to come into force.With the 2027 Goa assembly elections drawing closer, the pressure on the BJP-led state govt to deliver on the reservation promise has been mounting, particularly from within the ST community that forms a significant voter bloc across tribal-dominated constituencies in the state.
