Govt will collapse if MGP contests by-polls: Vijai

VIJAI-SPEAK
>> A coalition partner's candidate contesting an election against the BJP candidate is not acceptable >> The coalition will disintegrate if MGP goes ahead and fields candidates at the by-polls
>> In such a eventuality, there is a plan B which will give stability to the government
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PANAJI: Indications that another political storm is brewing in the ruling coalition government emerged on Wednesday when Goa Forward Party leader and Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardessai predicted collapse of the government if MGP went ahead with its threat of contesting the Shiroda and Mandrem by-elections. Sardesai who spoke to the media at the State Secretariat said, the MGP is a constituent of the ruling BJP-led coalition which would disintegrate if it went ahead and fielded candidates at the by-polls against the principal ruling party.
"In such a eventuality, there is a plan B which will give stability to the government,” Sardesai said but did not articulate the plan.
He said that a coalition partner's candidate contesting an election against the BJP candidate is not acceptable, and added that Goa Forward has been more loyal to the saffron party than its own MLAs.
The MGP has already stated publicly that it will field its president Deepak Dhavlikar who is the younger brother of PWD Minister Sudin Dhavlikar.
Meanwhile, political sources said, the legislature party of the Dhavlikar-led MGP in its current composition is seemingly vulnerable to poaching as the loyalty of two of its three MLAs - Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar and GSIDC chairman Dipak Pauskar - is suspect.
Under current anti-defection laws, for merger of a political party to be valid then at least two-thirds of the legislature wing of one of the two merging parties has to shift loyalties.
Ajgaonkar and Pawaskar together constitute the required two-thirds and are said to be mulling a switch of parties and Sardesai is known to have cordial ties with both.