BJP may not ditch Mauvin to save alliance with MGP

PANAJI

Responding to the salvo fired by MGP's Deepak Dhavalikar, the State BJP has put its plans on fast forward and current Congress MLA of Dabolim Mauvin Godinho in now likely to join the BJP on December 16.

While sources informed that Godinho will quit the Congress and join BJP on December 16, when contacted, Godinho declined to comment on the development.

This is a clear indication that the BJP will not give away the Dabolim constituency to MGP, which has staked its claim on grounds that it had contested the seat in 2012.

“Though he has officially been with the Congress, he has supported us. It is with our support that he has carried out various developmental works in the constituency. How can we just give the seat to MGP when they are not at all in the picture for the last five years,” said a senior leader of the BJP.

While both parties were at loggerheads over the two constituencies – Dabolim and Bicholim, conditions prevalent state that BJP will not compromise on these for the sake of alliance for the upcoming State Legislative Assembly polls.

“Dabolim was given to us in 2012. Though we lost that seat with nearly 1100 votes, we have worked in the constituency right at the grassroot level in the last five years and are very strong there. We will not compromise on it come what may”, said a senior MGP leader.

Similar is the case with Bicholim constituency, with BJP planning to field Rajesh Patnekar who has recently joined BJP once again. Patnekar had won from Bicholim constituency twice on a BJP ticket, in 2002 and 2007.

In 2012, he contested from Bicholim on a Congress ticket and lost by 1,799 votes to Independent MLA Naresh Sawal.

“Sawal, who we had backed after Congress denied him a ticket, has worked in that constituency for the last five years. We are very strong in that constituency. We want that seat at any cost,” said the MGP leader.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, on the other hand, has already had a meeting with BJP workers in Bicholim to inform them that BJP is firm on contesting from the constituency and under no circumstances will the seat be given to MGP. The workers have also been informed that the party has recently carried out a survey in Bicholim and conditions are in favour of the BJP.

Sources claim that MGP will try hard to negotiate with BJP over these two seats using various pressure tactics.

“If we do not get these two seats, we may even break the alliance and go independently,” said a MGP leader.