In what could be a blow to the BJP’s poll preparations in Goa, sacked Goa RSS leader Subhash Velingkar on Tuesday announced the formation of a new pre-poll alliance comprising of the Shiv Sena, Goa Suraksha Manch and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party with a collective aim of “protecting the socio-cultural identity of Goa”.
Velingkar told The Pioneer, that the alliance would contest 37 out of the 40 legislative Assembly seats in Goa, with an aim to defeat the current Bharatiya Janata Party Government in the State, which he alleged, had worked against the cause of regional languages and promoted English language as medium of instruction in schools at the cost of the state exchequer.
“The MGP is our senior partner and it will contest in 26 seats, the GSM in six seats and the Shiv Sena in five seats. It is a mutually understood agreement. There was no demand for each other’s seats. It is an amicable match-winning arrangement,” Velingkar said.
Velingkar was sacked as the state RSS sanghachalak, following his continued slamming of the medium of instruction policy of the BJP-led coalition Government, blaming the ruling dispensation and especially Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, then a chief minister, for being a turn-coat.
Velingkar had taken it upon himself to cobble up an alliance of like-minded parties to defeat the BJP in the February 4 polls.
The RSS leader also said that a common minimum programme would be worked out to ensure that issues are prioritised. “We will work out a common minimum programme to ensure smooth functioning of the alliance,” Velingkar told a press conference in Panaji. “Our agenda is to protect Goa’s languages and culture... Once we come to power Government grants to English medium schools will be withdrawn,” he said.
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut told a Press conference later, that the alliance was necessary to defeat the BJP Government in Goa. “The Government has become a rakshas. It has to be defeated,” Raut said.
Interestingly, while the Shiv Sena and the Velingkar-led Manch said that they would not like to ally with the BJP in a post poll scenario, the MGP, represented at the Press briefing by former Public Works Department Minister Sudin Dhavalikar, however had a different take on a potential alliance with the BJP after the elections.
“I cannot tell you that now... Sometimes in politics you have to adopt Chanakyaniti,” Dhavalikar said.
The MGP has been in alliances with both the Congress as well as the BJP in Goa from 2007-2012 and 2012-16 respectively.