SURAJ NANDREKAR
suraj@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Despite critical statements made by its leaders on step-motherly treatment by BJP, the MGP – an alliance partner in the government, is very unlikely to pull the carpet as a coalition with BJP seems to be a win-win situation for the oldest regional outfit.
While the MLA’s who lost, Deepak Dhavalikar and Lavoo Mamledar have made instigating statements against BJP and the Goa Forward, the two MGP ministers – Sudin Dhavlikar, Babu Azgaonkar and also Deepak Pawaskar (GSDIC chairman) are “surprisingly” mum.
And why not? The trio is sitting on 25 per cent (Rs 4222 cr) of the state’s entire budget outlay of Rs 16,000 cr.
The MGP, an alliance partner in the ruling dispensation, kicked up a mini-storm threatening to contest the Lok Sabha seat against the BJP, stating they are not partners yet in the NDA.
Two days later, former Ponda MLA Lavoo Mamledar charged BJP of step-motherly treatment.
Deepak Dhavlikar & Lavoo Mamledar seem to be acting like jaded lovers as they haven’t been granted any corporation chairmanship. But the party has been more than rewarded. To start with, Sudin Dhavalikar has two of the most prominent portfolios of PWD and Transport besides Museum and River Navigation.
Recently, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who also holds the Finance portfolio, sanctioned additional Rs 500 cr to PWD for completion of unfinished projects.
Not only this, the Centre has sanctioned road and transport projects in the state of around Rs 10,000 cr.
The outlay for Dhavlikar’s departments is Rs 2807.48 cr.
Meanwhile, Manohar ( Babu) Azgaonkar again has plum portfolios of Tourism and Sports, which have total outlay of over Rs 400 cr.
Besides, with Goa hosting National Games next year another Rs 300 cr will be added to the sports budget.
MGP’s third MLA Deepak Pawaskar has the biggest of all corporations the GSIDC which has a budget of Rs 1000 cr, though the group within the MGP which is upset with the government has charged that GSIDC is run by Vice- Chairman and former BJP MLA Siddharth Kuncolienkar.
Party sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, state that MGP’s lost leaders are trying to create a hype resorting to theatrics.
