Why did MGP attend NDA meet, asks Vijai Sardesai

PANAJI: The war of words between coalition partners, GFP and MGP refuses to end.

On Sunday, town and country planning minister and GFP president Vijai Sardesai tweeted, "MGP is a venerable old party in Goa. Being old, perhaps a little help is needed to remind them that we were together in Delhi as NDA".

He was reacting to TOI's report, wherein MGP president Pandurang 'Deepak' Dhavalikar had said that his party is not part of the NDA at the Centre, and was open to contesting the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Deepak had said Sudin attended the NDA meeting on the invitation of senior BJP leaders and CM Manohar Parrikar.

But it does not mean that MGP is part of the alliance, he had said.

"Why did they attend the meeting if they were not part of the NDA?" Sardesai said.

Sardesai also said that he was introduced as the youngest and a new ally of the NDA, recalling that after his speech, Sudin had stated said that MGP is the oldest and strongest ally of the NDA.

BJP state president and MP Vinay Tendulkar said that they were unaware whether MGP has withdrawn its support to the NDA.

"Their legislature party had said that supported the alliance, and they were part of the NDA even during the presidential election," Tendulkar said.

Differences have emerged between MGP and GFP during the last couple of months, with both the regional parties eager to expand their base in the state.

During a recent cabinet meeting, Sardesai had confronted Sudin over the slow pace of sewerage works being taken up at Fatorda.

On Friday, Sardesai had told a local TV channel that unlike Deepak Dhavalikar and his party, he would never consider contesting against NDA partners after being part of the BJP-led coalition.