PANAJI
Amidst ongoing tension within the coalition over the alliance for 2027 State assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today said that MGP is very much part of the Pramod Sawant led government.
Maintaining that the decision on future alliance will be taken at the right time, the party said that following directions from the Central leadership, it will start work to strengthen its base in all 40 assembly constituencies before the next elections.
“There are still two years to go for State elections. Why to discuss an alliance now. Party has decided to strengthen its base across all 40 constituencies and there would be no compromise," BJP State President Damodar Naik told The Goan.
He also said that the decision on alliance lies with the party high command and the decision will be taken at the right time by the leaders. “For now, we are asked to work in all 40 constituencies,” Naik said.
MGP Chief Pandurang alias Deepak Dhavalikar today made a courtesy call to Naik to wish him on his appointment as BJP chief, more than two months after he took over. The leaders denied having held discussion on the alliance.
Naik said that it was just a courtesy call following him taking over as BJP State President in January. “Initially he (Dhavalikar) had telephoned me and also sent greetings. But today he visited me personally to wish,” he said.
Naik refuted any discussion that took place on the alliance. “MGP is very much part of our government. There is nothing to be discussed on that. We both share a similar ideology and we are happy to have someone with similar ideology,” he commented.
Unrest within the coalition was evident following Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s statement to retain Priol constituency with a warning that no one should interfere.
Following this, MGP supremo and Minister Ramakrishna ‘Sudin’ Dhavalikar and party president Pandurang ‘Deepak’ Dhavalikar met BJP general secretary organisation B L Santhosh in Delhi.
MGP has two MLAs including a senior Minister in the 40-member state assembly.
MGP, who was part of the then Manohar Parrikar led government in 2012, had withdrawn the support just ahead of polls in 2017, after two of their Ministers were sacked from the cabinet. However, they extended support to BJP post 2017 polls.
