Lok Sabha polls 2024: Pallavi Dempo, BJP’s surprise pick from South Goa
Though a political green horn, Dempo is a well-known entrepreneur and educationist in Goa
With the nomination of Pallavi Dempo, the BJP threw a big surprise in Goa — she is the he first woman ever picked by the saffron party from the tiny state which has just two Lok Sabha constituencies. Demo will be pitted against veteran Congress leader Francisco Sardinha, former chief minister and two-time MP, in South Goa. The Congress has won South Goa constituency 10 times, losing it twice only in 1999 and 2014 to the BJP.
“I am deeply grateful to the BJP for this nomination and accept it in all humility. We will try our level best to win this seat. I have always believed in (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi's vision of leadership, a vision that according to me, empowers everybody irrespective of caste creed or religion and equal opportunities to every section of society,” Hindustan Times quoted Pallavi as saying after her nomination.
Who is Pallavi Dempo?
Dempo, 49, may be a political green horn, but she is a well-known entrepreneur and educationist. She has a master’s in Business Administration from MIT-WPU, Pune and is married to noted industrialist Shrinivas Dempo. The chairman of the Goa-based Dempo Group of Companies also heads the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industries.
Dempo is the executive director of Dempo Industries and is a trustee of Dempo Charities Trust, while also looking after the media and real estate arms of her husband’s group.
With interest in education and arts, she has been associated with various organisations including the Indo-German Educational and Cultural Society, Goa Cancer Society, All India Management Association's Women's Council - AIMA Aspire.
She is a trustee of Moda Goa Foundation, a charitable trust, which runs a fashion and textile museum in Colvale founded by noted fashion designer late Wendell Rodricks. She also served as member on the academic council of Goa University between 2012 and 2016.
According to media reports, her husband bought electoral bonds worth Rs. 1.25 crore in personal capacity, while four of his subsidiary companies are believed to have donated through electoral bonds.
An admirer of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Dempo waxed eloquent about him when he visited Goa on February 6 this year. “Was an honour to have the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modiji visit Goa. The overwhelming turnout speaks volumes of the respect and admiration we Goans have for him,” she wrote on X, while also posting a montage of various events of the day that PM Modi attended. As per media reports, the Dempo family has adopted government high schools under the Rural School Adoption Programme to provide vocational training to girls.