NT NETWORK
PANAJI
President of Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and former MLA Deepak Dhavalikar Saturday said that his party will form the next government on its own and claimed that the party will win 21 seats.
He was speaking at a function organised to enroll nearly 200 members and office bearers led by former Shiv Sena president Shivprasad Joshi, who joined the MGP in the presence of Tourism Minister and MGP MLA Babu Ajgaonkar, Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) chairman and MGP MLA Deepak Pauskar, former Bicholim MLA Naresh Sawal and other office bearers of the party.
“We will try to form the government on our own at the next state assembly election. It is our dream and we will accomplish it and the party workers will ensure that the party forms the next government. We will be focusing on 27 constituencies and have already begun the work to strengthen the party. At present, in the coalition government, MGP has three MLAs. We will increase the number to 21,” said the MGP president.
“These new members will be working in their own constituencies to strengthen the party. Similarly, we are expecting more people to join the MGP including politicians in the near future. There are many seats vacant in the party and good work will always be rewarded,” he said.
Ajgaonkar said that the coalition government in the state is stable in the absence of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is in the US for medical treatment. He also reiterated the stand of his party that they will not destabilise the government as long as Parrikar is leader of the coalition government. “It is our bad luck that such a tall leader is temporarily away due to his sickness. There is bound to be some impact. We will not destabilise the government. Things will return to normalcy once he returns to Goa after two months,” said Ajgaonkar.
When questioned over his stand on Mopa airport project after he recently supported protestors at the airport site, Ajgaonkar said that the villagers were agitated as they were not considered for jobs in the project and, therefore, stopped the work. However, the protest has been stopped after an assurance by the company that locals will be given first priority for the jobs if they are qualified.