PANAJI
Senior Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) leader Sudin Dhavalikar said that Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM) should think twice before contesting the State Legislative Assembly elections, even as he stated that MGP fully backs the issue of Medium of Instruction (MoI) taken up by BBSM.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a function in Panaji, Dhavalikar said, “BBSM has still not formed a party. Though the issue, BBSM has taken up is right, they are working towards protecting our culture. We fully support them. But when they are entering politics, they should think twice.”
BBSM, which has been demanding withdrawal of grants to the 132 minority-run English medium primary schools, during its recent meeting, had given a go-ahead to its political cell for carrying out the required formalities for registering a new political party. The BBSM has, however, given a deadline of September 30 to MGP to break ties with BJP following which they have agreed to fully support MGP in the upcoming assembly polls.
When asked whether MGP will continue its alliance with BJP, Dhavalikar said, “Elections are scheduled to be held in the next four-and-a-half months. Presently, we have an alliance with the BJP. Because of this alliance, BJP could win 21 seats during the assembly polls 2012. MGP candidates won in three constituencies and we have already started our work in the remaining constituencies which we lost. People too want that we should continue with the alliance and contest in these constituencies.”
Commenting on independent Bicholim MLA Naresh Sawal and Cumbharjua Congress MLA Pandurang Madkaikar joining MGP, he said, “The independent candidates have approached us, I don’t know if they have approached BJP. But, those who want to move forward in the interest of the State and are proud of our Party, we will accept them. Madkaikar has MGP blood and Sawal too is our man. Sawal had approached us when the Congress had denied him a ticket in 2012. We backed him as an independent candidate and he won the elections.”
When asked about seat sharing with BJP for the 2017 assembly polls, he said, “We will discuss seat sharing after the election notification is issued. And once it starts, we will put forth our demands.”
