PONDA
In a loud and hard-hitting message to its coalition partner, MG Party leaders on Sunday asked the BJP to first declare its chief ministerial candidate for the forthcoming assembly election before initiating any alliance talks.
The party leaders in their first election meeting held in Ponda have dropped enough hints that they would sever ties, and neither Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar nor Union Minister Nitin Gadkari will be able to persuade them.
PWD Minister Sudin Dhavalikar, Minister for Craftsman and Training Deepak Dhavalikar, Ponda MLA Lavu Mamledar, ZP members Mohan Verenkar, Chitra Phadate, Jaydeep Shirodkar, Kavalem sarpanch Rajesh Kavlekar, Bandora sarpanch Nayan Naik and panchas of various panchayats, Adv Narayan Sawant, freedom fighter and former MLA Rohidas Naik, Audumber Shinkre, stage artiste Shridhar Kamat Bambolkar, stage artiste and vice-chairperson of Rajiv Gandhi Kala Mandir Ajeet Kerkar and Jose Rodrigues from Panchwadi were present for the mega meeting organised on Aguiar ground at Tisk-Ponda.
Deepak Dhavalikar said their demand of stripping Laxmikant Parsekar as the chief ministerial candidate still remains.
“This chief minister was forcibly imposed on us. We were told that Parrikar would be chief minister for five years, but now we will not tolerate injustice. We will go alone in 22 constituencies if our demands are not met. BJP will have to fulfill our every demand,” he said.
“Why are people angry at BJP if it has done everything good? I now feel that people want change and this crowd is a testament to this fact,” Deepak pointed out.
“I appeal to the BJP to declare its CM candidate first and then only come to speak about having an alliance. We declare Sudin Dhavalikar as our chief ministerial candidate. Let BJP maintain alliance 'dharma' first,” Deepak added.
Sudin Dhavalikar said: “Everyone desires that I should become the chief minister, and for that we need 22 seats. I will not hesitate to take a decision on the alliance. BJP has forced me to take the step ahead. Parsekar has failed in all aspects,” he said.
“The chief minister should know to balance the alliance and I want to ask Parsekar if he tried even once to do it. It is a fact that 40 per cent people are against Parsekar. Can you cancel the posts approved by the Cabinet?” he questioned.
“Parsekar had promised that the Seventh Pay Commission would be implementedin November. If he knew that new recruitments would be a burden, then why did he allow the release of advertisements for 1,700 posts?” he asked further.
“My five files regarding beautification projects were stuck in the Chief Minister's cabin for almost nine months. He asks me why the works should be carried out. But he has undertaken similar works in his constituency. Now why should we keep quiet? BJP leaders should tell how much funds they have brought from the Centre for development, or they should check how much I have brought. How you can make a cashless society when there are no facilities of electricity and mobile phone towers in many villages?” he questioned.
“I will support the decision taken by the MG Party central committee on the alliance. Then neither Parrikar nor Gadkari will be able to persuade me,” he added.
MLA Mamledar said he has undertaken several developmental works worth Rs 1,200 crore through the PWD.
“They tried their best to make me 'handicap' by allotting me the handicrafts corporation. We have suffered a lot under this regime. They tried to create impression that I am not working for the people. No minister helped to undertake developmental works in Ponda,” he claimed.
“They have misplaced my files pertaining to development. I suspect they had deployed special staff to misplace my files. In this way, no state will progress. Change the chief ministerial candidate and then only we will speak about the alliance,” he added.
“BJP has not done a single favour on us. Instead, it has created many problems for us,” he said.
Sarpanch Kavlekar urged Sudin Dhavalikar to become chief minister by adopting any means. “The people of Goa want to see you as chief minister and you have to fulfill their wish by any means.”
Jose Rodrigues, an industrialist from Panchwadi, said: “We give in writing that if given a candidate in Shiroda we will definitely win. Shiroda needs a candidate of MG Party. We are bored of politics that hampers the development of Shiroda. But we are confident that MG Party can usher in a new trend of politics in Shiroda,” he added.
Rohidas Naik criticised Parsekar, saying he was levelling meaningless allegations against MG Party leaders. “I wish Sudin Dhavalikar becomes the chief minister, and he will deliver his best as he has got a vision.”
Mohan Verenkar said if people want that Sudin Dhavalikar should become chief minister, then everyone will have to take part in the campaign. “You can pay best and rich tributes to Bhausaheb Bandodkar and Shashikalatai Kakodkar by giving majority to MG Party,” he added.
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SUDIN'S BARBS
- The MGP leader says Parsekar failed as CM, and called for his removal
- Questioned CM's decision to cancel posts approved by the Cabinet
- Claimed his files regarding beautification projects were kept pending by Parsekar
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Sudin seeks goddess Mahalsa's blessings
THE GOAN NETWORK
PONDA
PWD Minister Sudin Dhavalikar had a broad smile across his face when the priest of Shree Mahalsa temple at Mardol, who was performing 'Sanganne', prayed that the wishes of the minister's supporters of seeing the MG Party leader as chief minister of Goa may come true.
Sudin Dhavalikar, Minister for Craftsman and Training Deepak Dhavalikar, Ponda MLA Lavu Mamledar, MLA Naresh Sawal and others sought blessings of goddess Mahalsa and kicked off their election campaign in the presence of a large number of supporters on Sunday evening.
“Let the wishes of MG Party supporters to see their leader as chief minister of Goa come true. Bless them with 'buddhi' and wealth,” the temple priest said.
No sooner did the temple priest mention this, Dhavalikar's supporters inside the temple began shouting slogans, but they calmed down only after Dhavalikar told them against doing so, as tye were in front of the Sanctum of Sanctorum.
