Team Herald
PANJIM: Keeping its doors open for Maharashtrwadi Gomantak Party (MGP) to enter into an alliance for the upcoming State Assembly elections, the Shiv Sena, which has commenced work to strengthen the party base in the coastal State, has claimed that in near future some senior rival political party leaders may either join them or may extend support for the 2017 polls.
Stating that “anti-BJP” is not going to be their criteria for the coming polls, Shiv Sena chief Uddav Thackeray preferred not to comment on the Medium of Instruction (MoI) issue stating “let’s not get into language controversy”.
Thackeray was on a two-day Goa visit, wherein he kicked off party election campaign. The saffron party has in-principle decided to join hands with RSS rebel Subhash Velingkar backed Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM) for the 2017 polls.
“Our criteria are not anti-BJP, but to make an attempt to fulfill the aspirations of the people of Goa. People are now looking for change as they have realised that the party that they voted for has failed to bring in the promised change,” Thackeray told media persons on Sunday.
When asked about GSM’s willingness to form alliance with MGP, Thackeray said that he has given entire powers to Velingkar to decide on it. “MGP has Maharashtwadi flavour in it. They are also supporters of Marathi language and are for Hindutava. They share similar ideology like that of ours. If Velingkar sir feels that MGP can be part of our alliance, then he can decide on it,” he said.
It is learnt that MGP leader and Minister Ramakrishna Dhavalikar met Thackeray on Saturday evening. When asked about the same, Sena Chief said “May be he met me…..there may be also some other political party leaders met me….you will come to know about it in future…there are many who wants to join us…we have to see how they support us…by joining or by staying outside,” he commented.
Shiv Sena will unveil its manifesto for upcoming polls post-Diwali during which seat sharing with alliance partner GSM will also be finalised.
Thackeray said that he would be visiting the coastal State again after Diwali to discuss on seat sharing. “It is not fair to talk about election manifesto at this juncture when talks for alliance are on. We will be back to talk about election issues,” he said.
Thackarey also said that Shiv Sena will connect to the Catholic population in the state during the upcoming polls. “There is no denial that we are a party with Hindutva ideology. But that does not mean we hate other religions. Our principle of Hindutva is surrounding the person who is patriotic in his views and act. The communal harmony existing in Goa will continue even in future,” he commented.
