HERALD: What are the prospects of the MGP in the 2022 election?
Pandurang Dhavalikar: The party has strong prospects this election since we have decided to go alone for the polls. Going for an alliance will result in cutting into our vote share or vote bank, which we are not going to let happen this time. We are confident of our victory in eight to nine constituencies, with an increased vote share from 13 per cent in 2017 to 18 per cent at least, in 2022. Over the years, MGP has managed to revive. We have learnt from our mistakes. This election, we are taking our voters into confidence.
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H: So does this mean the party will have no pre-poll ties with anyone? Is MGP capable of going solo and winning as many seats as projected by you?
PD: Yes definitely! You see, in 2017, we went alone and got 13 per cent vote share, but managed to get only three seats; whereas in the 2012 elections that we fought along with BJP, our vote share was not even five per cent. That’s because BJP took over vote in the name of seat sharing. We have already made it clear that at no point, we will join hands with BJP or Congress or NCP or even GFP for the elections. But we appeal to all like-minded political leaders and regional parties to support MGP. Let us have a kind of “understanding”…but our goal is clear, we want MGP to lead the State under Ramakrishna Dhavalikar. He will be our CM face for 2022 elections. Anyone interested in supporting him and MGP, are welcome.
H: But was the party not in talks with AAP for an alliance?
PD: No. We just had one meeting with Arvind Kejriwal when he came to Goa. But we realise that the party is moving in a wrong direction and hence, we have suspended all talks with them.
H: How many seats is party going to contest?
PD: We have already shortlisted 12 candidates and they have started their campaign in constituencies like Pernem, Sanvordem, Ponda, Priol, Marcaim, Shiroda, Mayem, Mandrem, Bicholim and Curchorem which are our strongholds. But we will contest 18 seats. More constituencies are yet to be identified. We will be also the first party to announce candidates so that our voters have enough time to think and vote for a better and new Goa.
H: The biggest question before the voters today is whether MGP will betray their trust again like in 2017. Can MGP assure its voters on this?
PD: We assure our voters that we will never support BJP to form the government. That is the reason why, despite having offers to rejoin the government, our party preferred to stay out of power. BJP has betrayed us twice and we won’t let that happen again. Our aim is to get the maximum MLAs elected from our party to see that our leader becomes the next CM. We are not going to support anyone… let everyone support us the 2022 government will be of like-minded parties or leaders headed by MGP. The 2017 decision was our mistake, we believe.
H: You mean extending support to ex-CM late Manohar Parrikar to form government was a mistake?
PD: No! Extending support to Parrikar was not our mistake but continuing to support Sawant was our biggest mistake. We will ensure that the mistake is not repeated. With the death of Parrikar, BJP is heading towards an end in Goa.
H: What are the main issues the party is banking on to reach out to the voters?
PD: The Dr Pramod Sawant government has been a complete failure on almost all fronts. And I don’t think we need to explain this to the people. Our voters are educated enough to know. But according to us, unemployment, failure to restart mining activities, mismanaged COVID-19 situation and State finances, failure to give relief to the pandemic affected people, are issues. This BJP government has been anti-people. It has imposed anti-people policies despite opposition. For example, projects like double-tracking of railway line, power transmission, coal transportation, etc. Our vision is clear; we want to give people of Goa, what they want and not what we want.
