Rajya Sabha MP elect Vinay Tendulkar to continue as Goa BJP chief

PANAJI: Newly-elected Rajya Sabha member from Goa Vinay Tendulkar will continue to head BJP's unit in the coastal state till the party relieves him from the post.

"I will continue to be the Goa unit chief of BJP till my party wishes. Although I have become a member of the Rajya Sabha, I will continue working for the party organisation in the state. The ongoing party programmes will continue," Tendulkar told PTI today.

Tendulkar yesterday won the sole Rajya Sabha seat from Goa, defeating his Congress counterpart and sitting MP Shantaram Naik.

Tendulkar said it is for the party to decide whether to continue him as the chief of the state unit or relieve of the charge.

"Though I am Rajya Sabha MP, my area of operation will always remain Goa. I will not leave Goa politics," he said adding he would be in Delhi only during the Parliament session or for "important meetings".

"(My) first priority will be do works in 22 constituencies whose MLAs voted for me. Also in two constituencies of Panaji and Valpoi where by-election is pending," he said.

To a question, Tendulkar said the works in the constituencies of opposition legislators would be a "second priority".