I want to form MGP Govt with absolute majority, if I quit Cong: Madkaikar
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 18 September 2016 12:26 IST
Congress legislator Pandurang Madkaikar is not only inclined to join the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, but is even planning to form the MGP government with absolute majority.
“If I quit Congress, I will see that the MGP contests minimum 30 seats and forms government without anybody’s support”, the three-time MLA told Goa 365 TV channel last night.
He has not decided formally to leave the national party, but has also said clearly that he sees no hope of Congress coming back to power in 2017 election.
In fact he also revealed that there are more MLAs in the party who are on the same wavelength, but declined to disclose their names.
In an exclusive interview, the tribal MLA made three statements, which can be corroborated to arrive at a conclusion that he would in all probability join the MGP to contest next election from Cumbarjua.
“I have lost hope that Congress can come back to power and I don’t want to continue in opposition.”
“I am fed up of Delhi’s high command culture while decisions can be taken much faster by a regional party. The biggest regional party in Goa is the MGP.”
“PWD minister Sudin Dhawalikar is my personal friend and he has done all my works in the constituency.”
However, he does not wish to take a decision at this moment but after going through the process of consulting his main workers as well as the people at large.
The three-time Cumbarjua legislator had started his innings in 2002 as the MGP man and was involved in two defections, during his first term.
He first defected to join the BJP to stabilise Manohar Parrikar’s government to power and then split to join the Congress to destabilise Parrikar.
Since then, he is ‘loyal’ to Congress.
“Looks like the Congress is not interested in winning the election. There is absolutely no strategy and any major move to activate the party to victory”, said Madkaikar.
According to him, Congress is prepared to neither introduce new faces nor align with like-minded parties and independents to strengthen its force.
“They talk of new faces but still want to give tickets to Churchill Alemao, Ravi Naik, Babu Azgaonkar and all such old leaders who were rejected by the people. How can we win in such a situation”, he asked.
He also informed that an attempt made by some Congressmen like him and Digambar Kamat to meet Rahul Gandhi did not bear any fruits.
“Leaders like Digvijay Singh and Chellakumar simply make visits to Goa, give sermons and go back. We need national figures like Rahul Gandhi to visit Goa when Arvind Kejirwal of AAP and Amit Shah of BJP have already started addressing Goan voters”, he demanded.
He really wondered if Congress leadership is concerned about Goa and its election prospects.
He strongly feels that time has come to take a decision whether to remain with the Congress or find an alternative.
Madkaikar also claims that he has been approached by the BJP as well as the MGP to join, but prefers to wait for a while.
“I also need to see what the MGP leadership does when the BJP as well as BBSM are pulling them on their side”, he observed.
But Madkaikar made it amply clear that he is thinking on the lines of quitting Congress and joining a regional party like the MGP because he wants to be in the ruling party and not in the opposition any more.
