Azgaonkar said that MGP has become a family party and not a regional outfit as the Dhavalikar brothers control its affairs and wanted to topple the BJP-led government.
“Goemkars know what is happening in the State. The way Lavoo Mamledar, who belongs to the Bahujan Samaj, has been treated, it can be foreseen how Dhavalikar family will go ahead with the Bahujan Samaj,” he said.
He further said that this also raises a big question on what will happen to a Dalit like himself. “Looking at all this, I have quit the local party and merged with the national party,” he said adding, “We decided that MGP will always be of Dhavalikar family, and it will never be for the Bahujan Samaj. We thus took resolution to merge with the BJP.”
Azgaonkar said that despite he being a senior member, MGP never invited him for any party meet. “We were not taken into confidence while expelling Lavoo. We were never consulted on Deepak’s candidature from Shiroda. It is a BJP vacant seat, how can MGP field its candidate there?” he asked. He said the Shiroda by-polls is one of the issues for the split.
“MGP made efforts to topple this govt. They had planned to form the government with Congress but I did not support it. I had said Babu will never support move to topple government. Even today they were planning to do something using us, that is why we decided to split,” he added.
