MGP snaps alliance with BJP ahead of Goa polls

Panaji: The Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) snapped its alliance with the ruling BJP in Goa on Friday.

MGP president Deepak Dhavalikar said his party would contest 22 of the 40 assembly seats and soon formalize an alliance with rebel RSS leader Subhash Velingkar`s outfit.

Dhavalikar on Thursday released to the media a letter written to Goa Governor Mridula Sinha announcing the snapping of ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party.

"After the election results, a BJP-MGP government took charge of the administration and we continued our co-operation in spite of differences on various issues which recently led to the ouster of MGP MLAs from the cabinet," Dhavalikar said in his letter, which was also submitted to Goa assembly Speaker Anant Shet.

He said now that the Goa election had been announced for February 4, the MGP had decided not to continue its alliance with the BJP.

MGP ministers Deepak and Sudin Dhavalikar were sacked by Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar from the cabinet last month following their criticism of his leadership. 

The sacking of the ministers had virtually signaled the beginning of the end of the alliance between the two parties.

"We will contest 22 seats... We already have an in-principle understanding with Goa Suraksha Manch," Dhavalikar said. 

The Shiv Sena is likely to be the third party to join the anti-BJP alliance, the concept for which was first floated by Velingkar.

Dhavalikar said his brother and former Public Works Department Minister Sudin would be the MGP`s Chief Ministerial candidate.