PANJIM: The Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), the State's oldest political outfit, is all set to amend its nearly six decade old constitution, in a bid to bring together cross sections of society.
MGP's executive committee and working committee that met on Thursday unanimously resolved to amend its constitution. A five-member committee will be constituted to recommend necessary changes to the constitution.
Addressing media persons, MGP President Deepak Dhavalikar said that party workers were of the opinion that our constitution is almost 57 year old and hence it is time to make some changes to it. "We want to go forward taking all the religion and youths into confidence," he said.
MGP, which was formed by Goa’s first Chief Minister Dayanand Bandodkar, was the first ruling party after the end of Portuguese colonial rule in 1961. In the first elections held after India took over the former Portuguese colony, it ascended to power in December 1963 and stayed on, till being ousted from power by defections in early 1979.
MGP's plank was largely based on populism, and promising a better deal to the Hindu economically deprived and socially oppressed sections in Goa.
The party currently has only one MLA, in the 40-member State Legislative Assembly. Meanwhile, the meeting also resolved to appoint former MLA Naresh Sawal as the working committee’s president. A 45-member new working committee was constituted.
Further, the party also resolved to extend the term of its existing Central Committee till March 30, owing to the upcoming Zilla Panchayat election. The term of the central committee ended on December 31.
Speaking about their 'Jan Andholan' on Mhadei River, MLA Sudin Dhavalikar said that party call upon all the opposition as well as the ruling to join the Andholan, in the interest of the State. "Mhadei battle is not just of MGP but of the entire State. Hence, we call upon all those who love River Mhadei to join us," he said.
The state-wide Andholan will be launched on January 19 from Satare in Sattari.