Porvorim: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday claimed that he had to drop his deputy and MGP MLA Sudin Dhavalikar from the cabinet as “he failed to adhere to common minimum program of the coalition government.”
Sawant told reporters that coalition partners had worked out common minimum progam while forming the government after the demise of Manohar Parrikar.
“One of the condition in Common Minimum Program was that no alliance partner would contest in Shiroda Assembly by-election. But MGP President Dipak Dhavalikar refused to withdraw from Shiroda Assembly Constituency,” he said.
“We can’t help him if he sees the interest beyond the party and the State government,” Sawant said referring to Dipak Dhavalikar’s stubbornness to continue contesting the by-election.
BJP and MGP has developed a major rift after two MLAs from the latter’s camp broke away and joined BJP during wee hours of Wednesday.
Manohar Ajgaonkar and Dipak Pawaskar had split from the parent party, former their own legislature wing and then merged it with BJP.
Sawant said that the split in MGP was not engineered by BJP or his government. “Both the MLAs were not feeling comfortable in MGP. They were also apprehensive that they would be removed from the party. That is why they broke away and approached me,” he said.
MGP after the dropping of Sudin Dhavalikar from the cabinet has announced to contest on both Lok Sabha seats in the State.
Sawant said that MGP contesting the Parliamentary election will have not impact the prospects of BJP’s candidates – Shripad Naik (North) and Narendra Sawaikar (South Goa).
