Special Correspondent
Panaji: Indicating that there would be a Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party-Bharatiya Janata Party pre-poll alliance at the 2027 Goa assembly elections, MGP president Pandurang ‘Deepak’ Dhavalikar on Thursday said the MGP-BJP alliance is essential, for a stable government in Goa.
The two political parties did not have any pre-poll alliance during the 2022 state assembly polls.
Dhavalikar said the MGP-BJP alliance can win 25 seats, following which a situation of “buying” MLAs won’t arise.
“I personally can win from any constituency in Ponda taluka,” the MGP president said, observing “However my first preference is Priol constituency as nobody can touch my 10,500 to 11,000 votes there, while the next choices are Shiroda and Ponda constituencies,” Dhavalikar said, adding that he can also move to Cumbharjua assembly constituency and contest election from the particular constituency.
Presently both, Priol and Shiroda assembly constituencies are represented by the BJP legislators namely Govind Gaude and Subhash Shirodkar, respectively.
Dhavalikar was defeated by Gaude at the 2022 state assembly polls in the Priol constituency.
Dhavalikar said voters in Goa are neither predominantly BJP nor MGP, but together, the two parties command a 50 per cent vote share.
“In this alliance, we will propose contesting seven to eight seats,” he maintained, noting that both parties share similar ideologies, which is why their partnership has been so successful.
The MGP chief also said the MGP-BJP government will bring in much better development for Goa, besides successful handling other issues such as unemployment.
He added that the MGP is prepared for the 2027 assembly polls in Goa, however, a survey would be undertaken to know about the prospects of the party at this election.
The MGP chief also claimed that the proposal for post-poll alliance with the MGP had come from the BJP after the 2022 state assembly election.
