Taking a strong stand, alliance partner Goa Forward Party (GFP) has fired the first salvo at the ruling coalition’s major party – Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). After over a year together in government, GFP president Vijai Sardesai, who is also a minister in the BJP-led government, saying, “We are part of the coalition government but that does mean that we have to support each and every decision of the government,” has squarely placed the ball in the court of the BJP to get the mining issue sorted out as quickly as possible and begin mining operations in the State.
With less than a year to go for the Lok Sabha polls, GFP went public stating that if mining does not start in the State at the earliest, then BJP could face major consequences in the upcoming 2019 Lok Sabha polls. As the BJP is preparing to celebrate four years in office at the Centre, and less than two weeks after the visit of the party’s national president Amit Shah to enthuse party workers, GFP announced that if mining doesn’t start at the earliest in the State, the party will re-think supporting BJP in the 2019 LS polls. Sardesai has also not given a clear answer on whether his regional party will field a candidate for the Lok Sabha polls, preferring to keep the people and the political parties guessing on the party’s moves.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Bharatiya Janata Party won both Lok Sabha seats in Goa. As the party aims to return to power at the Centre, it would seek to repeat this feat in 2019, but for the party victory in the North Goa and South Goa seats depends a lot on the support of its alliance partners – Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and Goa Forward Party. With Sardesai’s latest statement, that is some crucial support that Bharatiya Janata Party cannot now take for granted.
That is surely not good news to the BJP as two of the seats GFP won in the 2017 Assembly polls were wrested from the BJP, and the third seat, that from which Sardesai has been elected, was earlier a BJP constituency. GFP ousted two BJP ministers in 2017, a fact that BJP cannot ignore in its preparations for 2019, as these three constituencies are vital to the BJP. And it is obvious that the BJP is worried, for just a few hours later, the party spokesperson said that the leadership will meet Sardesai to address his grievances.
But are these mere grievances? Or are there some deeper cracks in the coalition that are not yet entirely visible?
It does appear that all has not been well with the coalition partners in the past few months and it is not restricted to the GFP. In the run up to the Ponda Municipal Council elections that were held earlier this month BJP and MGP went their separate ways but came together after the results to form the council, as neither got a majority to have their own Chairperson and vice chairperson in the council. MGP members have questioned the support of the party to the BJP, though there are attempts by the party to downplay the dissent.
Sardesai’s tough talking, on the day he admitted a former Congress candidate into his party from a constituency held by the BJP, perhaps has a message to the national party not to treat regional forces as mere bit players. At the same time, he challenged the Congress to form a government with GFP support, and asserted that he will not allow Congress to break the existing arrangement in the State. As it simultaneously threatens and reassures the BJP, the regional party is walking a tight rope.
