MGP to decide on contesting Lok Sabha election, bypolls today

PANAJI

: A crucial meeting of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party’s (MGP) central committee has been called on Wednesday to decide on whether to contest

Mandrem

and

Mapusa

bypolls and both

Lok Sabha

seats.


The last couple of days has seen the MGP and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) crossing swords over the decision of president, MGP, Pandurang Dhavalikar to contest the Shiroda byelection. Speaking to TOI, Dhavalikar said, “MGP’s central committee will decide whether to contest the other two byelections and

Lok Sabha elections

.”

He further said that during its previous meeting, the central committee has requested him to contest the Shiroda bypoll. “I will win the Shiroda seat with 75% votes in my favour. After getting elected, I will support BJP,” Dhavalikar said.

Initially, MGP had decided to contest the Mandrem bypolls and approached Jeet Arolkar to join the MGP and contest the Mandrem seat. But, on consulting his supporters, Arolkar deferred his decision.

In the 2017 assembly poll, MGP had contested the Mapusa seat and secured the second position. MGP candidate Vinod Phadke secured 4,129 votes. Speaking to reporters, Phadke said that the party can take a decision to contest the Mapusa bypoll. “If the party tells me to contest the Mapusa bypoll, then I have to contest and there is no doubt about it. I am ready to contest the bypoll,” Phadke said.

BJP is trying to convince the MGP not to contest the April 23 byelections in the state. Goa will witness three byelections and a Lok Sabha election on April 23. “MGP is a natural ally and partner of BJP and if MGP contests the bypolls and Lok Sabha election, then BJP will have to put extra efforts to win these seats,” a political observer said.

During government formation, one of the conditions put forth by BJP was that Pandurang Dhavalikar should withdraw from contesting the Shiroda bypoll. BJP state president and Rajya Sabha MP Vinay Tendulkar said that “based on Pandurang Dhavalikar’s assurance”, MGP’s Madkai MLA Ramkrishna Dhavalikar was made deputy chief minister in the Pramod Sawant-led coalition government.

But, Tendulkar said that Pandurang campaigned once again in Shiroda on Sunday, and taking note of it, the BJP state unit collected evidence and sent it to national BJP leaders for necessary action.