MGP is running out of journeymen, in its journey to reclaim political space

Goa’s oldest regional party the MGP is in the middle of its regular exercise to stay relevant. In the early part of the week, there were reports about a section of the party wanting a merger with the BJP, which the MGP denied. But it used the opportunity, either presented or created, to shake itself up and voice some of the issues within the party which stands at the crossroads about its future. But none of them are likely to be addressed.

Sections of the party including its president Deepak Dhavalikar, feel short-changed that its aim to be the number two party in the ruling pecking order is nullified by Goa Forward and it is actually shadow boxing to stay politically relevant, while the Goa Forward is making attempts to completely appropriate the Goem, Goemkar, Goemkarponn space, which was the MGP’s leitmotif.

Reacting to news floated that the MGP was discussing the possibility of a merger with the BJP – which was rapidly denied – Deepak Dhavalikar said, “MGP is the only party which can preserve the ethos of Goem, Goemkar and Goemkarponn”. But at this juncture, these are only words. This section of the MGP is clearly battling its own internal demons. It needs to build up the organisation. At the same time, its leadership needs to look at party building as a vital step towards staying relevant, rather than playing second fiddle in coalition governments where other parties are getting more space and play.

Meanwhile the BJP is also playing the MGP rather cleverly. It is dealing with individuals and not the party. For instance Tourism Minister Babu Azgaonkar, an import from the Congress, interacts with, informally reports to and also listens to the Chief Minister alone. He is an MGP MLA only on paper. His decision to have his close aides including his brother in the GTDC board hasn’t gone down too well in the MGP camp. But there is no one who can question him. MGP’s Savordem MLA Deepak Pauskar also has a major peeve with Azgaonkar, the Tourism Minister, on a local issue which he has raised with his party president Deepak Dhavalikar. There are 430 jeeps owned by locals registered with the Tourism and Forest department to ferry tourists to the Dudhsagar waterfalls in the area. However, with an official restriction of only 225 vehicles per day, locals aren’t getting business.

Meanwhile Sudin Dhavalikar, to many, remains a lone ranger with his total focus of pushing projects of the PWD and River Navigation through copious amounts of funding from the National Highways and Shipping ministries headed by Nitin Gadkari, whose word is the law, as far as Sudin Dhavalikar is concerned. 

In Goa, Dhavalikar looks only to Parrikar for his department’s smooth sailing. Dhavalikar’s relationship with former Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar turned totally sour, but his loyalty to Manohar Parrikar remained. Incidentally, he was, after the election results were out, even offered the Chief Ministership by the Congress, in a MGP-led coalition, a desperate bid to keep BJP out of power. But Dhavalikar, clearly knowing which side his bread was buttered, opted to back Parrikar. Dhavalikar’s own comments recently ratify this. He told the media this week, “After the 2017 elections, an MGP executive committee member said to me ‘it was your individual decision to back Parrikar as CM’. I asked the party to throw me out if anyone felt so. The member backed off”. That should come as no surprise because the MGP’s current political existence depends totally on Sudin Dhavalikar and his position of power.

The MGP sadly has two ministers who are strong individuals but they don’t feed off the party or don’t even seem to need it. Therefore, reviving the party and strengthening the grassroots organisation, is a very long journey, with the MGP not quite knowing where to find its journeymen.