Team Herald
PANJIM: A few days after Minister Govind Gaude waded into the MGP-BJP alliance controversy, BJP state President Damodar ‘Damu’ Naik said on Thursday that Gaude had been told not to make statements that might have an adverse political impact.
“He (Gaude) has been told not to make such statements. We have told him to maintain discipline and decorum in the party. We will brief the party high command and appropriate action may be taken,” Naik told O Heraldo.
His statement assumes significance since he met MGP President Deepak Dhavalikar during the day. Both claimed it was a “courtesy visit”, but after a week of hectic parleys that spanned the State and national Capitals, Thursday’s meeting can hardly be written off as a casual catch-up.
Speaking to the media, Dhavalikar later said, “I had not met Naik for the last few days. We held discussions and decided to work together. All is well.”
The alliance between the two parties had been thrown off-kilter after Chief Minister Pramod Sawant asserted BJP’s claim over the Priol and Mandrem Assembly seats, both MGP strongholds. Gaude, who has no love lost for the Dhavalikar brothers, waded in soon after this, proclaiming that the CM’s statements gave him the strength of “10 elephants”.
When asked on Thursday whether there will be a pre-poll alliance between the two parties, Dhavalikar said, “It will be decided as elections are two year years away. We had a pre-poll alliance in the 2012 elections. I am still in politics and I will decide on contesting the next elections.”
However, BJP State president Damu Naik insisted that the BJP is working in all constituencies and at the same time added that the MGP is its coalition partner. Naik said that he has told Dhavalikar that BJP will work to strengthen its organisation in all 40 constituencies and similarly the MGP can work in constituencies. “I told him not to worry but to work unitedly for the development of the State.”