PANJIM: Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) on Thursday, decided to target Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, and placed the almost impossible condition of replacing him as CM candidate as a condition for the alliance to continue for the 2017 elections. It is also learnt that the party’s central committee meeting did decide to call off the alliance. But insiders in both, BJP and MGP, say that the MGP has probably played its last card in a final effort, in the hope that the BJP will concede more seats and give in to other demands.
MGP President Pandurang (Dipak) Dhavalikar, a minister in the government, however made it obvious that MGP was more out than in favour of the alliance. He said, “BJP should change the CM candidate before alliance talks start. If Parsekar is leading the election campaign then there won’t be an alliance,” Dhavalikar said. He said MGP had agreed to an alliance in the March 2012 polls only because Manohar Parrikar was the chief ministerial candidate.
Speaking to the media after a central committee meeting of party, Dhavalikar said that other decisions taken at the meeting
will be disclosed after the code of conduct comes into force in the State. He said that the government has not taken MGP into confidence on many issues, including selection of chief minister after Parrikar was made the Union Defence Minister.
“Parsekar has failed to take the coalition party into confidence, the party is always taken for granted. Even on the decision of gong cashless the government has not taken us into confidence,” he said. “We have the capacity to contest independently in 22 to 23 constituencies. Once the campaign starts we will confirm the seats we would like to contest,” Dhavalikar said.
He said that MGP will commence its campaign from December 11 from Mhalasa temple Mardol in Ponda and the first public meeting will held in Usgao at Aguiar ground. He added that the party has asked all aspirants willing to contest the elections to submit their willingness by December 30.
BJP and MGP had fought last assembly polls in alliance where BJP had 21 seats and MGP only three. Dhavalikar confirmed that alliance talks have not moved ahead.
