Panaji: Satish Dhond, the state joint secretary (organisation) of West Bengal's Asansol Kendra, has once again demonstrated his organisational prowess in the high-stakes West Bengal elections, following his role in scripting the BJP's landmark victory in the 2012 Goa assembly elections.
From Bicholim to Asansol: A Political Journey
Dhond, originally from Bicholim in Goa, has been working in the strongholds of the Trinamool Congress since 2022, overseeing 126 assembly constituencies across West Bengal. Of these, the BJP secured victories in 107 seats, including the high-profile Nandigram constituency, where party leader Suvendu Adhikari contested. For the past five months, Dhond worked relentlessly on the ground in West Bengal without returning to his home state. Growing up in the iron ore mining belt of Bicholim, he has traversed a long journey to script electoral successes in Asansol's coal region.
Hands-On Approach in the Trenches
Known for his hands-on approach, Dhond consistently immerses himself in the trenches of political battles to deliver results. A veteran party organiser, he was shifted out of Goa in 2015 during Manohar Parrikar's tenure as chief minister. Later, when Parrikar fell ill, then BJP national president Amit Shah brought Dhond back to stabilise the party amid internal dissidence. In the 2022 Goa assembly elections, he played a key role in helping the BJP return to power. Earlier in 2015, he also contributed to the party's organisational strengthening in Maharashtra's Thane and Konkan regions.
Reviving BJP in Goa
Dhond had earlier been brought back ahead of the 2012 Goa elections following the party's poor performance in 2007, when it failed to secure a majority. Under his organisational stewardship, the BJP won 21 seats in 2012, forming a government on its own for the first time. Although he was in Goa during the 2007 elections, he was not actively involved in party management at that time. Following that defeat, Dhond was transferred to Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, regions then dominated by Congress. There too, he helped the BJP make significant inroads and achieve electoral success.
RSS Link and Key Roles
Deputed by the RSS, Dhond has served as a crucial link between the organisation and the party. He also held the position of general secretary (organisation) when the BJP first formed a government in Goa under Parrikar in 2000 and again in 2002. Notably, Dhond was not in Goa when the party's tally dropped to 13 seats in the 2017 assembly elections. His consistent track record of electoral successes underscores his strategic acumen and organisational capabilities.
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