BJP-MGP rift in Goa widens ahead of polls

The rift between the BJP and MGP in Goa widened today with Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar saying those unhappy with the alliance are free to quit and the minor ally daring the senior partner to dissolve the state Assembly rather than asking its ministers to resign.
MGP leader and state Transport Minister Sudin Dhavalikar recently accused Parsekar of taking the state 10 years backward during his two-and-half year rule.
Hitting back, Parsekar told reporters here that, "Sudin Dhavalikar is no one to set the agenda for me. If he feels suffocated in the state government, he should resign and go, and then make a public statement against us."

Later, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) president Dipak Dhavalikar told PTI that, "The current BJP-led state government is not a stand-alone victory of the party (BJP). MGP and BJP had pre-poll alliance. BJP's candidates who won the election had a share of MGP votes too in their victory."
"So if BJP wants us to go, they should dissolve the Assembly. It is not the government of their own. We also have a share in it. Let BJP dissolve the Assembly and face election on their own and win the majority seats," Dhavalikar said.
MGP has already announced that it will snap ties with BJP for the forthcoming state Assembly polls, if Parsekar continues to lead the BJP.

In turn, Parsekar accused the MGP of not being loyal to the alliance partners.

"They are not loyal to the alliance, they only cling to power. Before 2012 elections they were with the Congress," he said.
"The current government is mine. If someone is not happy with it or we are non-performing, they are free to resign and go," the Chief Minister said.
There are two MGP ministers in Parsekar-led Cabinet.
The MGP chief said his party is yet to decide whether to go it alone in thepolls or have alliance with any other party.
"The decision on alliance will be taken only after the state election dates are announced," Dhavalikar said.

During 2012 Goa elections, BJP won 21 seats while MGP, the state's oldest regional party, bagged three seats.
Suspecting that Sudin Dhavalikar was being instigated by some elements against the government, Parsekar questioned the minister's sudden angst in the last few days.
"What has happened that suddenly Dhavalikar has started reacting this way in last two-three days ? Has he met someone who has instigated him or he has started dreaming of becoming chief minister," he said, indirectly referring to rebel RSS leader Subhash Velingkar led Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM) which has proposed alliance with MGP for upcoming polls.