Team Herald
PANJIM: The battling Maharashtrwadi Gomantak Party (MGP) faced a major blow on late Monday night, when Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, who initially acted as a troubleshooter, fired a salvo at the Dhavalikar brothers, much to their surprise, straining the ties even further.
Parrikar, who brought BJP to power in 2012, and who was seen as the mediator for MGP-BJP alliance for 2017 elections, took control of the deteriorating
situation that the Laxmikant Parsekar-led government was facing and chaired the high-level party core committee meeting that resolved to drop the Dhavalikar brothers from the State cabinet.
“It was my decision to carry out such an operation. Being a Chief Minister, it was my prerogative but BJP believes in team work,” Parsekar said informing that he had to consult Parrikar and Union Minister and Goa desk in-charge Nitin Gadkari before taking the decision.
The core committee meeting chaired by Parrikar, held at the BJP party office commenced at 9.30 pm and ended at 11.00 pm, where the decision to drop Sudin and Deepak Dhavalikar from Cabinet was taken. At 11.00 pm, Parsekar sent a communication to Goa Governor Mridula Sinha recommending that the Ministers be dropped. “By midnight the entire process was over, on the eve of Parrikar’s birthday,” the Chief Minister said.
The meeting was also attended by Union Minister for State for AYUSH, Shripad Naik, MP Narendra Sawaikar, Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza, Ministers Rajendra Arlekar and Dayanand Mandrekar, Party President Vinay Tendulkar, General secretary Sadanand Tanawade and party coordinator Datta Kholkar.
One of those present at the meeting confirmed that Parrikar and Parsekar had a telephonic communication with Gadkari, who was apprised of the situation by both leaders in advance. Parsekar during his Delhi visit last week had briefly spoken to Gadkari.
“Gadkari was shocked and not happy with the Dhavalikar brothers action. During his last visit to Goa, the Union Minister had met with the duo and had decided to continue the alliance. Hence the High Command was upset,” sources said.
During the meeting, party President Tendulkar submitted a detailed report on MGP’s outburst against the CM and government in the recent past and their party cadres repeated demands to break ties. The difference of opinion on Bicholim and Dabolim seats and Dhavalikar’s resistance on the ban on fresh recruitments was also raised during the meeting.
It is also learnt that the core committee resolved to go alone for 2017 elections either contesting all 40 seats or extending support to some Independent candidates as in the last elections.
Support till poll code of conduct: MGP
Alliance decision with like-minded parties or not, to be decided by Central Committee next week
PANJIM: “We were feeling suffocated under Laxmikant Parsekar’s leadership and if we had to contest the 2017 elections under him, we would have got more suffocated, now we are feeling relaxed,” MGP leader Ramakrishna (Sudin) Dhavalikar said, thanking the Chief Minister for dropping him and his brother Pandurang (Deepak) from the State Cabinet.
“It was a very good decision by Parsekar and we are thankful to him. We would have never able to go to the polls under his leadership,” Dhavalikar, former PWD and Transport Minister, told Herald.
The MGP MLA claimed that they wanted to desperately get out of the government but were stuck only to retain the alliance. “Our supporters are very happy today. They were behind us to break ties with BJP. There was kind of unhappiness amongst the supporters soon after Parsekar took over as Chief Minister,” he stated.
“However, our alliance with BJP still continues and it will remain till the election code of conduct is announced,” Dhavalikar said adding that once the election announcement is made, the party will decide on whether to contest independently or go for alliance with like-minded parties.
“Alone also, MGP can manage a comfortable win,” he added. Dhavalikar said the party will approach its supporters to take a final call on alliance with other political outfits. “Let the Central and Parliamentary Committee decide on whether there is actually a need for alliance or MGP can go alone,” the former minister said.
The party’s Central Committee is slated to meet next week under President Deepak Dhavalikar , to chalk out its future plans. Post the code announcement, MGP will form its Parliamentary committee, which will decide on whether to go for an alliance or contest alone.
“We will abide by coalition dharma. Our support to BJP will continue till election code of conduct comes in force,” Deepak told Herald.
He said the party will fulfill its commitment made towards the BJP while forming a pre-poll alliance before 2012 assembly polls. “Central Committee meeting is yet to be decided,” he said.
When contacted, MGP MLA and central committee member Lavoo Mamledar said the party is prepared to contest all 40 Assembly seats. “However, the final decision would be taken by the central committee,” he said.
Rebel RSS group backed Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM), has already offered to align with MGP and has set a deadline till mid-January to decide. GSM has already tied up with Shiv Sena and Goa Praja Party and has announced six candidates, including two former BJP and one Congress ministers.
The spat between MGP leaders and Parsekar began when the former demanded that they will not have a pre-poll alliance with BJP for the upcoming polls under Parsekar’s leadership. MGP was also having problems over seat-sharing issues, wherein both partners were claiming the Bicholim and Dabolim seats.
CM’s move had party backing: Parrikar
Terms Dhavalikars’ statements against Parsekar ‘immoral’; says the situation had reached a point beyond talks and hence CM took right decision
PANJIM: Terming the MGP leaders’ jibes at Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar as “immoral”, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said that the Dhavalikar brothers should have resigned from the cabinet if they were not comfortable.
“They should have resigned and spoken against CM and not by being a part of the government. It is against the ethics,” Parrikar said.
Parrikar also said that if there was a problem with the CM there was a proper forum to discuss and not rush to the media with grievances.
Saying that the decision to drop the Dhavalikars from the cabinet had the party’s backing, Parrikar said, “CM has taken right decision in interest of party and the State. The situation had reached a point beyond talks and hence CM took right decision. Party gave go ahead for dropping. They brought down CM’s dignity. Statements by MGP ministers were immoral.”
When pointed out that the alliance went through turbulent times many times as the MGP ministers made their discontent public, Parrikar said, “We have kept coalition dharma in last almost five years. Despite having absolute majority of 21, we gave them two ministries and gave important portfolios of PWD and Transport to MGP.”
When asked about rebellion in the cabinet as recently a BJP minister had spoken openly against Parsekar after being divested of a prime portfolio, Parrikar said, “If there is discontent in the cabinet does not mean it is anarchy.”
Asked whether BJP is ready to go all alone, he said, “We have made preparations in all 40 constituencies. We can go alone if need be.”
