MARGAO: Will Goa Forward Chief Vijai Sardesai execute his much-publicised ‘Plan B’ if MGP President Deepak Dhavalikar goes ahead and contests the Shiroda by-poll?
Pose this question to the architect of the Plan B and Sardesai now says that differences between the BJP and the MGP should be resolved by the leadership of the two parties, conveying a message loud and clear that he would stay away from all such matters between the two alliance partners in a post-Parrikar situation.
“From my side, there’s no longer any Plan B in place. If there are any differences between the BJP and the MGP, they should be resolved by the leaders of the two parties.
There’s also a new Chief Minister in place and he would address these issues”, Sardesai said.
When The Goan drew his attention to the fact that he was the architect of the Plan B which he had
threatened to execute if the MGP leadership did not see reason and contested the ensuing bye-poll, the Goa Forward Party chief was clear in saying that he had conceived the Plan B since former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar was down with illness and he had taken upon himself the responsibility to hold the fort. “I had taken the initiative to form the coalition government with Manohar Parrikar as it head after the last Assembly election. And, it was my responsibility too to ensure there was no threat to the survival of the government, more so when Parrikar was down with illness for the last one year”, he said, adding “Now that there’s a Chief Minister in place, the leaders of the BJP and MGP should sit and resolve their issues”.
Sardesai’s stand on execution of Plan B assumes significance and comes against the backdrop of reports that attempt were made to put pressure on the MGP leadership to fall in line or face a split in its Legislature party. Sources in the know said that Sardesai’s Plan B reportedly entailed a split in the MGP, with the plan mooting that Babu Ajgaonkar and Deepak Pauskar would embrace the BJP without attracting the provisions of the Anti-Defection Law and also dropping Sudin Dhavalikar from the Cabinet.
