BBSM to float new party with RSS support, invites MGP to share seats
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 29 August 2016 20:13 ISTThe Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch has finally decided to float its own regional party, with wholehearted support of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, to defeat the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
The BBSM has also kept an option open to the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, to break ties with its senior ruling partner and join hands with the new outfit, on seat sharing basis.
If not, the BBSM will contest 35 seats.
The five seats left are Nuvem, Benaulim, Velim, Cuncolim and Quepem.
“We have even identified capable candidates in all these constituencies”, said Uday Bhembre, the BBSM leader.
The prime agenda of the BBSM is withdrawing salary grants to over 130 Church-run English medium schools.
After reversing its election promise made in 2012, the BJP government had decided to continue the grants given by the erstwhile Congress government.
Interestingly, MGP was a partner in both the governments – Congress and the BJP – to these decisions.
But publicly, they opposed the decisions of the Congress as well as the BJP, but not in the cabinets.
Preponing its own deadline of this long-awaited announcement, the BBSM today said option is also kept open to tie up with other small political groups, without mentioning its names.
“A decision in this regard would be taken by Subhash Velingkar and Subhash Desai (both RSS leaders)”, said Bhembre.
He also informed that both these leaders met MGP leaders last week and put forward this proposal before them.
But what if the MGP also demands official status to Marathi, as its election programme?
“No, they cannot decide such things unilaterally. We will sit together and resolve such issues”, said Bhembre, while claiming that MGP is on the wavelength of the BBSM.
Velingkar fully supported Bhembre, when the latter replied that RSS has been with the BBSM right from the beginning and will remain with it till the end.
But will Subhash Velingkar contest from Panaji? A question was asked by a journalist in a press conference.
“No comments”, said Velingkar, instead of dismissing the question.
Bhembre also clarified that the new party will prepare its election manifesto, highlighting several issues like corruption, addictions, vices, business of politics etc.
“There is hardly any difference of opinion on most of the publicly debated issues”, said Bhembre, without elaborating on it.