Panaji, Mar 8 (PTI) With most of the exit polls predicting a hung Assembly in Goa, the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, the state’s oldest regional outfit, is being sought after by the BJP and Congress to form next government in the coastal state.
While both the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress — the two major outfits in Goa — are claiming that they will win majority seats, they have also said they will seek support of the Deepak Dhavalikar-led MGP in case they fall short of the majority mark of 21.
Elections to the 40-member Goa Assembly were held on February 14 this year and the results will be declared on March 10.
In the 2017 Goa Assembly polls, the Congress had emerged as the single largest party by winning 17 seats. But, the BJP, which had bagged 13 seats, quickly tied-up with the MGP (which won three seats), the Goa Forward Party (GFP) and independents to form government under Manohar Parrikar’s leadership.
In 2019, when Sawant became the CM after Parrikar’s demise, two MGP ministers were dropped from the state cabinet.
This time, the MGP contested the state polls in alliance with the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC).
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant told PTI on Monday that the central BJP leadership is already in talks with the MGP for its support, in case the saffron party does not get majority.
The BJP this time fought the polls on its own, while the Congress tied-up with the Vijai Sardesai-led GFP.
All India Congress Committee’s Goa desk in-charge Dinesh Gundu Rao on Sunday said if his party falls short of the majority mark, it is open to seeking the support of outfits like the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the MGP and the TMC.
Congress leader Michael Lobo on Monday said they would include MGP into the government, even if the Congress-GFP alliance manages to secure more than 21 seats.
“The MGP has been abused by the BJP,” claimed former state minister Lobo, who quit the saffron party in January this year ahead of the state polls.
Lobo said the Congress is optimistic about forming the government on its own, considering good voter turnout this time.
When contacted, MGP legislator Sudin Dhavalikar, who is the brother of party head Deepak Dhavalikar, said once the results are out, they will take a decision on alliance only after taking the TMC into confidence.
The MGP and the TMC had fought elections together and will work together, he asserted.
“Whom to support and not to support would be jointly decided by the MGP and TMC,” he said, but did not rule out supporting the BJP again.
“It is premature to comment anything on support as we are yet to know which party will get how many seats,” he added.
Sudin Dhavalikar had on Saturday said his party will decide its stand after the Goa election results by taking the TMC into confidence, but will “never support” Pramod Sawant as chief minister.
Sawant had sacked MGP ministers from his cabinet, he said. PTI RPS GK GK
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Source: The Print
