the goan I network
PONDA
Alleging that MGP and Goa Forward Party (GFP) were under pressure from the saffron party, former chief minister and Ponda MLA Ravi Naik on Wednesday said senior BJP leader and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari had failed to address the issues of mining dependents.
“The legislators of MGP and GFP should ponder on whether they are succumbing to pressures from the BJP or not,” said Naik at a news conference in Ponda.
“BJP should respect members of coalition partners as they had helped them form the government. But they (coalition partners) are being pressurised on many issues. This is pure dictatorship by the BJP in Goa and at the Centre,” Naik said.
Asked if the Congress stood a chance to form the government in the State, Naik replied with a smile, “You never know what can happen next in politics.”
Given the choice to form the government, Naik was asked if the Congress would favour the MGP or the Goa Forward Party.
“If it is revealed now, the BJP will pressurise them again to remain away from the Congress. Some things can only be revealed when the time comes,” he said.
Alleging that the BJP has been acting like a dictator, Naik said, “The BJP should not pressurise MLAs of MGP and GFP on any issue as they have been elected by the people. The party is pressurising its allies on grounds that their party is in power at the Centre. Both these parties have lost their voices on key issues of Goa due to pressure from the BJP.”
He also claimed that senior BJP leader and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari had failed to address the issues of the mining dependents.
“The way Gadkari handled the mining issue in Goa amounts to injustice on mining dependents. He should have had first addressed the problems of the mining sector, before going to inaugurate the ferry services in Vasco. He should have given more time to the mining dependents,” Naik said.
