Against the backdrop of intense political manoeuvring following the declaration of Assembly election results in Goa, the Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM) on Monday hit out at the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) saying the latter has “insulted” the pre-poll alliance with it by joining hands with the BJP to form the State government.
“The parties which are joining hands with the BJP to form the Goa government are committing dishonesty towards their voters who had reduced the Manohar Parrikar-led party (BJP) to a minority,” GSM president Anand Shirodkar told the media here.
“It is sad to see that the MGP, which had a pre-poll alliance with us, has gone with the BJP to form the government led by Parrikar. This is an insult to our pre-poll alliance agreement,” said Shirodkar.
GSM, which fought the recently held Goa Assembly polls in alliance with MGP and Shiv Sena, drew a blank. MGP, which won three seats, supported the BJP.
Shirodkar said though the GSM could not win any seat, it will continue to play its role in the political space of the State. He said the demand of mother tongue as Medium of Instruction (MoI) based on which the party was formed will not be withdrawn. Shirodkar also claimed that the MoI issue, which was raised against the BJP during the recent polls, reduced its tally to 13.
A group of Congress legislators in Goa, meanwhile, were “upset” and blamed the party’s top leadership for the failure to form the government in the State despite emerging as the single largest party in the polls.
“I am very upset with the way our party leaders handled the situation after the (Goa Assembly poll) results, which gave us the first right — as the single largest party — to form the government. I feel let down at the functioning of the party leaders who could not take a decision at the right time,” said Vishwajit Rane, who won from the Valpoi constituency. He said that “gross mismanagement” by party leaders and the “delay” in choosing the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader hurt them.
The Congress won 17 seats in Goa, only four short of the magic figure to form the government. Soon after the results threw up a hung assembly, Independent candidate Rohan Khaunte had extended support to the party.
Also, informal talks were on with three legislators of the Goa Forward Party on Saturday, before the BJP stole a march on its rival after it could not muster the numbers to capture power.
Congress’ lone woman legislator Jeniffer Monserratte representing Taleigao constituency said, “People had given us the mandate but our party leaders failed to respect it. It is entirely their fault.”