‘Government will run for five years, we won’t backstab our allies’

With CM Manohar Parrikar battling ill health, BJP has had an uneasy run since the past year. Tackling one of its alliance partners and bringing unity among factions seem to be a major challenge. State party president Vinay Tendulkar puts forth his views to Murari Shetye.

The BJP-led coalition government is facing a strange situation. Alliance partner MGP has announced its decision to contest the April 23 bypolls against BJP. How does BJP intend to tackle this situation?

We are reading in the media that MGP will contest against BJP in the byelections. MGP president Pandurang ‘Deepak’ Dhavalikar has started his campaign in Shiroda, but even now that the elections are declared, I still cannot say what will happen till the last date for withdrawal of nominations. In politics, anything is possible, and anything can happen, like how MGP and GFP are with the state BJP government and the NDA at the Centre. PWD minister Ramkrishna ‘Sudin’ Dhavalikar is a respectable person and he is the MGP legislative party wing leader. We are confident he will come out with a solution.

What will happen to the twoyear-old coalition government if MGP contests?

If it contests, there will be an effect on the coalition. A (wrong) message will go across the state that coalition partners are fighting among themselves. Some people spread rumours that BJP will dissolve the government, but we are not interested in dissolution. The government will run for five years with the help of our associates. We will not backstab our alliance partners.

If MGP contests the byelections, will BJP drop MGP members from the cabinet?

As of date there is no such proposal before the party. All decisions will be taken by central leaders.

In the past, even dissent by coalition partners was not tolerated by BJP. Now, BJP is unable to bring discipline among its allies. Does it not show weakness when an alliance partner, especially MGP, makes statements of contesting against BJP in the bypolls?

It is not the party’s weakness. We don’t want to spoil the environment by making a statement. We have a good relationship (with MGP) and want to continue. It is very easy to make a statement, but once you do so and hurt somebody, it is difficult to convince that person again. We don’t want to do that.

Don’t you think BJP is finding it difficult to resolve major issues largely due to the absence of chief minister Manohar Parrikar from active politics?

With regard to the MGP issue, our chief minister has spoken to Sudin and he is making efforts even if he is not active in politics due to ill health. Parrikar speaks to coalition partners and I think that this issue will be resolved.

Political analysts say the mining impasse will affect BJP’s prospects at the hustings. How will the party overcome this issue?

The people involved in the mining sector know what BJP MPs have done to restart mining in the state. There are some people who claim they are dependants and who collect money from workers. We have given a package to truck owners and employees. Once we form a new government in Delhi, we will ask for a package for mining dependants. We will never put Goans in trouble.

Coalition partners have criticised BJP for not being able to solve the mining issue and for failing to get an appointment with the PM.

We did get an appointment with the PM. Before that, we met the PM, but we never disclosed it to the media. We don’t want to give hopes to the people that mining will start. We were confident that a solution to mining would come, but due to the court’s decision, it is taking longer than expected. I feel only we can solve the mining issue because the next government in Delhi will be headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and we have our government in the state as well.

Even after the PM’s intervention, why wasn’t the mining issue resolved?

Odisha, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand etc, are also involved in mining, so whatever decision is taken in favour of Goa will have to be implemented across the country. That is the reason we are finding it difficult to reach a solution on mining. Ours is a small state, but we are hopeful that we will find a solution with the help of the Centre.

Last time when BJP faced elections, it sought votes on the premise of ‘sabka sath, sabka vikas’. On what basis will the party now ask the people for their votes?

We will seek votes on the leadership of Modi and on the schemes he has launched. On Pulwama too, PM has come out as a strong and decisive leader. In Goa, there are lot of beneficiaries of central government schemes, including those focussed on development.

BJP karyakartas say that for almost a year, government functioning has come to a standstill due to the CM’s ill health. How much will it impact BJP prospects in the elections?

Karyakartas want an oldstyle chief minister. During Chaturthi last year, the chief minister called Amit Shah in our presence and offered to resign from the post. But later, we were called and told that Parrikar will continue as CM and run the government with senior ministers like Sudin Dhavalikar and Vijai Sardesai. There may be some ups and downs due to his health. The government is functioning quite well and people’s work is getting done. There are some hiccups when you run a coalition government but there has been no paralysis of administration.

Don’t you agree as BJP state president that had there been reallocation of portfolios to the ministers, government functioning would have improved?

It is discretion of the CM. Parrikar had informed the central leaders to allot more portfolios to ministers and the decision was taken, but we don’t know what happened after that.