BJP free to fight polls alone: Mamledar
Lavoo Mamledar has been the outspoken spokesman for the regional Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Partry which is a coalition partner in the BJP led government. However, the alliance is presently sailing through rough seas. Lavoo spoke to Herald on his take on this troubled relationship and prospects of coalition in upcoming elections
Herald: What do you feel about the BJP’s decision to fight the Zilla Panchayat elections on their own?
Lavoo: We are in alliance with the BJP and we will send them a proposal for fighting the ZP elections together. Then we will see.
You must remember whenever the BJP and the MGP have fought elections separately, than a third party such as the Congress has always got the advantage. Even in South Goa, other parties such as the Save Goa Party have benefited.
I know they have taken the decision, but personally I feel that the central committee of the BJP and the core committee of the BJP should sit and discuss with each other. So we will send a proposal.
Herald: What do you feel would be the results in the 2017 Assembly elections in case there is no alliance?
Lavoo: If you check you will see that in 2007 MGP and BJP lost most of the seats since they contested separately.
But if the BJP wants to fight without an alliance they are free to do so. An alliance needs two parties.
Both parties are needed to hammer an alliance. It cannot be from only one side. It is like a marriage, it cannot work with only one person.
Herald: Do you have anything else to say?
Lavoo: If they contest the ZP elections alone, both parties will get less seats. This will be due to division of votes. This holds good even for the 2017 Assembly polls.
They might realise it and then come to us at the last minute asking for an alliance, like they did in the 2012 elections. But then we will also be free to take a call.
But as of now, as far as we are concerned we feel there is need for an alliance.
The alliance was always for the Assembly and only till 2017: MP
The ideology of the Congress and MGP do not match. Votes moving away from the Congress will never go to the MGP. Its presence is there in just 3 constituencies, Marcaim, Priol and Ponda. The BJP, has a very good organisational strength across the state
Herald: Why does it seem that the BJP wants to pull away from the MGP, midway through its term?
Narendra Sawaikar: That is not the case at all. The two parties came together in the 2012 assembly elections, on common issues and that is why 12 seats were given to them. It was meant to be till 2017. There was no alliance at the grass-root levels
Herald: But when you give strong signals that you do not want to partner them in the Zlla Parishad elections, surprisingly held on party lines, doesn’t it impact the relationship which is rickety in some areas at least
NS: It was the MGP, which proposed an alliance in the ZP elections. We waited for the response from our party workers. We did give a thought to it and waited for feedback from everywhere. An that is being taken into consideration
Herald: A decision has been taken, that’s obvious, though not declared
NS: Look, every political worker wants to be in a position where his party wins in his own constituency. That is the same with BJP and MGP workers. BJP workers have that confidence in their areas and have been pushing for a chance to prove this in the local elections. As far as the MGP is concerned, it is only is 3 constituencies where such sentiments are very strong. At the same time in some places, there have been instances where the MGP leaders have taken decisions or done work without taking the BJP workers into confidence. This happens and leads to some local differences. But as I said this has not or should not impact the alliance we have in government. Mr Parrikar inducted MGP ministers even though the BJP had a clear majority
Herald: Let’s ask you a perfectly straight question. Will the MGP be your ally for the 2017 assembly elections?
NS: The decision to ally was taken before the 2012 elections till 2017. As the next elections approach, the party will meet, review the situation and take a decision
Herald: But don’t you see that the MGP is looking towards expanding its base to place itself as the recipient of the non BJP non Congress vote
NS The ideology of the Congress and MGP do not match. Votes moving away from the Congress will never go to the MGP. Its presence is there in just 3 constituencies, Madcaim, Priol and Ponda. The BJP, has a very good organisational strength across the state
