Goa CM Pramod Sawant says MGP natural ally, tie-up under consideration

PANAJI: After Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) supremo Ramakrishna Sudin Dhavalikar said any party which is ready to keep aside 12 seats for the MGP, where the party has been working extensively, is welcome for an alliance, Goa CM Pramod Sawant confirmed that an alliance with the MGP was under consideration by senior BJP leaders.

On Sunday, the MGP said the same condition of 12 seats was also applicable to the BJP, but did an unexpected about-face on Monday.

In a U-turn on Monday, Sudin Dhavalikar reiterated what he had said a week earlier, that the MGP’s party committee had refused to consider an alliance with the BJP, as they had ditched them on three occasions in the past and compared aligning with the BJP akin to committing suicide.

Following Dhavalikar’s remarks Monday, CM Pramod Sawant again reiterated that like-minded parties should come together for the upcoming Assembly polls, and indicated that a tie-up with the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), a traditional and natural ally of the BJP, could be under consideration by senior BJP leaders in Delhi.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari is in Goa and election in-charge Devendra Fadnavis (former Maharashtra CM) is expected to arrive in Goa on Tuesday, to jointly discuss the parties’ poll strategy with local leaders.

The MGP and Dhavalikar are expected to meet Fadnavis and Gadkari on Tuesday to discuss matters concerning an alliance including seat sharing, reliable sources informed this reporter.

It seems both the MGP and the BJP have already agreed in principle on an alliance for Assembly polls 2022, and only seat-sharing details are being thrashed out. In the meantime, both parties are keeping the Congress and others, like the Goa Forward Party and media persons on their toes, playing the guessing game.