PANJIM: Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM) on Tuesday gave enough indications that they would form an alliance ahead of the 2017 Assembly elections. The parties that have similar views on the Medium of Instruction (MoI) said they would tie up to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). MGP confirmed that in case of an alliance the chief ministerial candidate will be from among their party MLAs.
Speaking to Herald, MGP General Secretary and Ponda MLA Lavoo Mamledar said, “Talks with GSM are on and seat-sharing will be finalised in the coming days. However, it has been decided that Ramkrishna (Sudin) Dhavalikar from the MGP will be the chief ministerial candidate if an alliance is formed.”
Sources said that MGP will field candidates in 22 seats and has decided to embrace GSM in a bid to spoil the chances of BJP returning to power. Sources also said that the party will not align with BJP as they have failed to deliver proper leadership.
GSM President Anand Shirodkar said, “It’s roughly a green signal and we will be joining hands with MGP in the coming elections. The chief ministerial candidate will be from the MGP. Sea-t sharing talks are going on and we finished our second meeting with MGP a couple of days ago. Shortly we will have another round of meetings.”
“Talks are positive and seat-sharing is roughly decided. The people in Goa have started to express their views against the BJP after the induction of (Pandurang) Madkaikar and (Mauvin) Godinho in the BJP,” he said.
Cracks between the BJP and MGP became more visible when MGP leaders demanded the replacement of the chief minister as a condition to the alliance. BJP and MGP ties further broke when Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar sacked the Dhavalikar brothers.
According to their internal study, an MGP-GSM alliance could damage BJP in almost 16 constituencies besides MGP’s current Ponda, Marcaim and Priol. An alliance between the two could affect BJP in Mandrem, Pernem, Bicholim, Mayem, Sanguelim, Saligao, Sanguem, Curchorem, Quepem, Sanvordem, Canacona, Shiroda, Dabolim, Vasco and St Cruz.
