BY RUPESH SAMANT
Panaji: With its leaders failing to infuse new blood into Goa’s oldest regional party, the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) is steadily losing its bargaining power in electoral politics.
The party, which contested the 2022 elections in alliance with the Trinamool Congress Party (TMC) before later aligning with the BJP, is now paying for its failure to emerge as a dependable political force.
Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant recently announced that the BJP will contest the Mandrem and Priol Assembly constituencies. His statement, “If someone wants to go, then they are free to do so,” appears to be a clear signal to the MGP that it will not have the upper hand in deciding the 2027 alliance.
Mandrem is currently held by MGP MLA Jit Arolkar. If the BJP fields a candidate in this constituency, Arolkar will either have to join the BJP or contest independently.
Similarly, the statement regarding Priol hints at a setback for MGP President Deepak Dhavalikar, who has been eyeing this constituency to revive his political career. The BJP’s stance is a clear political boost for sitting MLA and Art & Culture Minister Govind Gaude.
For years, the MGP saw itself as a natural ally of the BJP in Goa. While their alliance remained strong in the early elections, the MGP has increasingly found itself in a weaker bargaining position.
The failure to strike a favorable deal with the BJP in 2022, combined with its short-lived alliance with the TMC, reduced the MGP to just two seats.
The Madkai constituency remains a stronghold for MGP due to the leadership of Sudin Dhavalikar, while in Ponda, Dr. Ketan Bhatikar continues to uphold the party’s presence, largely due to his individual efforts.
Deepak Dhavalikar will now have to search for a new constituency to contest from or reconsider the alliance with the BJP.
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Priol has already been announced as a BJP priority.
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Shiroda remains firmly under BJP’s Subhash Shirodkar.
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Ponda is expected to witness a tussle between the BJP and MGP, with Ravi Naik possibly fielding his son, Reitesh.
With limited options, Deepak Dhavalikar will need to make an unprecedented move to stay relevant in the 2027 election race.
