BJP's ally MGP to contest all 3 Assembly bypolls in Goa

Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party to contest bypolls to all the three Assembly seats in Goa, scheduled on April 23. MGP is a coalition partner in the Manohar Parrikar-led government in Goa.

Panaji: The Maharashtrawadi GomantakParty (MGP), an ally of the ruling BJP in Goa, on Monday saidit will contest bypolls to all the three Assembly seatsscheduled next month.

The move is likely to pit the regional party againstthe BJP in all the three Assembly seats of Shiroda, Mandremand Maspusa, where by-elections will be held along with theLok Sabha polls in the state on April 23.

The MGP is a coalition partner in the ManoharParrikar-led government along with the Goa Forward Party (GFP)and Independents.

The by-elections to Shiroda and Mandrem werenecessitated after the sitting Congress MLAs resigned from theAssembly and party and joined the BJP.

The Mapusa seat fell vacant due to the death ofsitting BJP MLA Francis D'Souza.

MGP President Dipak Dhavalikar told the news agency that his partywill contest in all the three Assembly seats.

While Dhavalikar earlier announced he will contestfrom Shiroda, he said candidates for the other two seats wouldbe decided by the party's central committee within a week.

He said his party decided to contest the bypolls "as amark of protest against the trend of mid-term defections setin the Goa Assembly".

When contacted, Goa BJP president Vinay Tendulkar saidthey would try to convince the MGP not to field its candidatesin the by-elections.

"We will hold discussions with them and I am sure theywill respect our view," he said.

Meanwhile, GFP president Vijai Sardesai andIndependent MLA Rohan Khaunte, who is the state's revenueminister, said they would support official candidates of thecoalition.

"As an alliance partner, we would be the last one togo back on our word we gave when we entered the alliance. Ourkarma will be in synergy with our dharma," Sardesai said.

He said the GFP will also support the BJP in both theLok Sabha seats in the coastal state.

The MGP and GFP have three MLAs each in the 40-member Assembly.

(With inputs from PTI)