Congress will also split, GFP MLAs united: Sardesai

MARGAO: Stating that the split in the MGP was bound to occur considering the way the two saffron partners were at each other’s throats over the Shiroda bypoll issue, deputy chief minister and president of Goa Forward Party (GFP), the other alliance partner of the BJP-led government, Vijai Sardesai on Wednesday called into question the “credibility” of the government in the eyes of the public if the BJP continues to engineer such defections.
MGP and GFP, with three MLAs each, and three independents, were the alliance partners in the BJP-led coalition government led by then chief minister Manohar Parrikar that was formed after the 2017 assembly polls.
Reacting to the split in the MGP, leading to two of its legislators joining the BJP, Sardesai said that was bound to happen and that he had advised them to stop the bickering.
“This was bound to happen and it has happened. Now, the Congress will also split. And if they go on splitting parties, the question will arise about public credibility (of the government). The major coalition partner will have to give a reply to this question,” Sardesai said.
The town and country planning minister demanded that chief minister Pramod Sawant come clear over the political roadmap of the coalition government. “Mainly because the alliance partners and the public need to know how we treat our allies; what signals we wish to send to the public. The BJP, and particularly the chief minister, should throw light on this matter,” Sardesai said.
Stressing that it was their duty to take the legacy of Parrikar forward, Sardesai said, “The alliance partners had come together to form this government under the vision of one man. Have we begun to forget all this so soon, is the question.”
Replying to a query, Sardesai said that both his MLAs were firmly with the party. “We are not afraid that a similar situation will befall us. We are concerned about just one thing. If we cast aside all morals in politics, instead of taking the state forward, we will only be able to take Goa backwards,” he said. “And we won’t allow this to happen.”