PANJIM/PONDA: Ever since Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s return from AIIMS 10 days ago all does not seem to be well between BJP and its alliance partners.
In a new twist, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) on Wednesday said that its patience is ‘running out’ and has threatened to take a ‘further decision’ within a month if the chief minister does not hand over the charge to the senior cabinet minister.
MGP President Pandurang (Deepak) Dhavalikar, said there are complaints from the people with regards the administration collapse due to the CM’s absence. “Since CM is unwell and is taking treatment at home he should hand over the charge to any senior minister till he is fit to occupy the chair,” he said.
Stating that the MGP wants some solution to the crisis Dhavalikar said that the patience of the people has been running out and that the party will have to take further decision if the crisis is not solved within a month.
“Party’s Central Committee will meet and discuss the situation before taking any further decision. We will wait for a month for the Chief Minister to hand over the charge,” he said.
He, however, refused to reveal what the further decision would be saying it will be decided by Central committee.
MGP also raised the red flag against the two new entrants into the saffron brigade. Dhavalikar said his party is contemplating moving the High Court against frequent party hopping by MLAs.
Dhavalikar was pointing to former Congressmen Subhash Shirodkar and Dayanand Sopte joining the BJP last week. “The MGP will ask for a law to be enacted wherein it should be illegal for any MLA to switch over to any other party mid-term. The frequent by-elections are straining government resources, which is the money of tax payers,” he said.
He also said that he may contest the Shiroda by-election and that a decision will be taken after November 15. He said this decision is to be taken by the Central Committee and if it decided to contest the by-poll then he would contest it.
Asked whether he had discussed this with BJP, he said MGP is an independent party and did not need to consult its alliance partners on this. Even if he contests the by-election and wins, then it would help the government.
