PANAJI: The Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party is set for a crucial general body meeting to be held next Sunday, December 17, which could decide the future trajectory of the party.
With rumours floating thick and fast that the party's central committee is under pressure from the BJP's central leaders to merge the party with the BJP ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the party is firmly divided into two camps.
The 'remain' camp, which is against the merger with the BJP is of the opinion that the current committee should be allowed to continue in tune with an earlier decision of the general body that the current committee should continue for another two years until the Lok Sabha elections.
The party had earlier taken a decision to extend the term of the central committee for a further period of two years, on grounds that the previous committee did not get enough time during its tenure especially since the tenure was interrupted by elections, government formation, panchayat elections and the like.
However, party president Pandurang "Deepak" Dhavalikar, younger brother of PWD Minister Sudin Dhavalikar, who heads the central committee has since then had a change of mind with Dhavalikar, citing unhappiness among the party's rank and file, opined that the central committee should only be given another two months while the process for electing a fresh central committee would be formed.
He has also cited a memorandum he has received from the party men who are seeking a change citing unhappiness.
On the other hand, besides Dhavalikar, few others in the existing central committee are in favour of a fresh committee being formed and believe that the current committee should hold fort for another two years until the Lok Sabha elections are completed. A decision of the party's central committee will be crucial if any decision to merge or remain independent is to be taken.
"There should be no question of merging the party with the BJP. Several party men at the local level have been campaigning against the BJP at the local level and have also sacrificed much to keep the independent status of the party alive," Raghoba Gaude a panch member from Mandrem has said.
Similar such voices have echoed across the party and stand to be in a stronger position with the status quo as the current central committee is staffed by a majority of party loyalists who are unlikely to accede to any merger.
At stake is the future of the party, with the party's rank and file seeking to maintain an independent identity of the party, while the Dhavalikars who have been, and have taken the party through two governments -- Congress and BJP and now a second term as part of a BJP led government under increasing pressure to cave in to the BJP's demands.
Fears are that the current leadership is facilitating a loss of identity as the BJP juggernaut rolls on.
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ANTI-MERGER RANTS WITHIN
* The 'Remain' camp is of the opinion that the current committee should be allowed to continue for another two years in tune with an earlier decision of the general body
* Several party men have been campaigning against the BJP and have also sacrificed much to keep the independent status of the party alive, says Mandrem panch Raghoba Gaude
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PRESSURE ON DHAVALIKARS
The Dhavalikars who have taken the party through two governments, and now as part of a BJP-led govt, are under increasing pressure to cave in to the BJP's demands for merger
