Team Herald

PANJIM: As it vehemently criticized the functioning of the BJP-led coalition, the Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM) foresees its collapse in less than one year, resulting in by-elections. The nine-month-old party, that contested on five seats in the March 2017 State assembly elections, thus expects to win the coming elections. 

“We will soon declare candidates for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and we are confident of winning at least one out of the two seats. Similarly, we will contest the 2022 State assembly elections from all constituencies. About 80,000 to one-lakh voters in favour of GSM will bring it to power,” GSM President Anand Shirodkar told a press conference on Sunday.   

While Vice President and party spokesperson Kiran Naik foresees the coalition government will not survive even one year from now. “The government might collapse in less than one year. If there is by-poll, GSM will surely win to come to power,” he added.  The press briefing was in fact called to declare the State Executive Committee for the year 2017-20, wherein all the ad-hoc posts were elevated to full-time.

The 46-member committee has slammed the double standard approach of the MGP on issues like Medium of Instruction (MOI) while it also castigated the “weak” Opposition. 

“The BJP-MGP coalition is actually a ‘setting politics.’ The MGP shifts its side to ensure it remains in power. Though we could not succeed to wipe it out completely in the 2017 elections, we managed to reduce the tally of BJP from 21 seats in 2012 assembly elections to just 13 this time. This is the loss for the MOI enemy because they backstabbed all,” Shirodkar added. 

The Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch had in October 2016 launched its political outfit – GSM to take on BJP in the State elections after the then government failed to heed to its demand of mother tongue as the MOI.      

In a tentative list of strategies chalked out, the GSM has decided to support sustainable mining but will prefer tourism over mining, strengthening environment and panchayati raj system, work towards women empowerment. It also showed its stand opposing casinos. 

Asked about the tainted image of Tourism industry in view of rampant drugs and prostitution cases, Shirodkar alleged that government was not willing to crack down on such activities. 

In the coming days, the party will declare its wings and its members who will be tasked with duties to strengthen the GSM at all levels in the State.