Panaji: “Two MGP MLAs joined BJP to ensure the government is stable,” claimed Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant Wednesday.
In the wee hours of the day, two of the three Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) MLAs, Manohar Ajgaonkar and Dipak Pawaskar, submitted a letter to officiating Speaker Michael Lobo, that stated the merging of their party’s legislative wing with the BJP. The third MGP MLA, Deputy Chief Minister, Sudin Dhavalikar, has not signed the letter yet.
“In the 40-member Assembly, because of two ministers joining BJP, our strength has gone to 14,” the CM told reporters.
Ajgaonkar stated that he felt insecure when MGP senior general secretary, Lavoo Mamlatdar was ousted by the party chief, Dipak Dhavalikar. It is learnt that Mamlatdar wrote a letter to the Speaker previous week that he should not welcome any communication from the party without his signature.
Hitting out at the party, the Pernem MLA, Ajgaonkar alleged, “The party of today was not taking measures for the welfare of the downtrodden.”
Echoing similar statements, Pawaskar lashed out, “Despite holding an MLA posting for two years, I was not invited to attend central committee meetings. The Dhavalikar brothers (Sudin and Dipak) did not trust us.”
He also said that them supporting BJP was on cards and was discussed with the late CM, Manohar Parrikar but was unable to follow-up due to his health conditions.
The CM is expected to drop the deputy CM from the cabinet later today and the ruling party has called an emergency meeting of its ministers and office-bearers to discuss the developments happened in the last 24 hours. Meanwhile, sources from the party told that the meeting will decide on dropping Dhavalikar and inducting Pawaskar in his place.