Babu Azgaonkar to join MGP, checkmates begin between BJP-MGP
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 17 December 2016 21:10 IST
With Assembly election date coming closer, checkmates of the political chess have suddenly gained momentum.
While Congress MLA Mauvin Godinho joined the BJP to contest from Dabolim, his colleague Pandurang Madkaikar is joining the saffron camp by 23rd December, the day Vijay Sankalp rally would be held in Cumbarjua.
On the other hand, ex-MLA of Congress Babu Azgaonkar has also jumped the (sinking) ship of Congress to join the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party.
He joining the MGP tomorrow morning at the central executive meeting convened in Panaji at 10.30 am.
He had organised a Congress rally in Pedne last month and Opposition Leader Pratapsing Rane had hinted that Babu would be the party candidate.
But this move by Babu may change the equations of Pedne.
With the traditional voter base of the MGP and followers of Babu in Goa’s sole ST-dominated constituency, it may pose a serious threat to forest minister Rajendra Arlekar.
This is the first blow of MGP leader Sudin Dhawalikar after he along with his brother were dropped from the Laxmikant Parsekar cabinet, headed by the BJP.
To counter this checkmate in Pedne, BJP’s Taleigao leader Dattaprasad Naik went to his native village of Madkai to set up the BJP unit in the Lion’s bastion.
“We will definitely field the candidate in Madkai if the alliance is officially broken by our leaders”, Naik told journalists.
With Madkaikar joining the BJP, it needs to be seen what stand union minister Shripad Naik’s son Siddhesh – the BJP Mandal President – takes.
He has already announced that none of his party cadres would work for Madkaikar.
If Madkaikar gets a ticket, be prepared to get inundated with stories and cries about Bhandari samaj victimization and assault on this caste blah blah blah...