BJP ready to contest 37 seats in 2017 polls in Goa

BJP on Sunday said it was ready to contest 37 out of 40 Assembly constituencies in Goa on its own in the elections this year.“We have held Vijay Sankalp rallies in 35 constituencies. At present, we are ready to contest 37 constituencies on our own without any kind of alliance,” said the party’s state general secretary Sadanand Tanawade.The ruling party is currently selecting candidates.

Reacting to media reports about Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) aligning with the rebel RSS leader Subhash Velingkar’s Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM), Tanawade said MGP was yet to withdraw its support to the BJP-led Goa government.“We have learnt about their alliance with GSM through media. They are yet to formally inform us about their pre-poll



tie-up,” Tanawade said.

After MGP leaders last month criticised the Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar openly, two of the party’s ministers were sacked from the cabinet which soured the relations between the alliance partners.“We have not snapped the alliance with MGP. It is they who are talking with other parties,” Tanawade said.

He further said it was unfair that MGP was trying to dictate terms to BJP over the leadership issue.“As we have 21 legislators, it is up to us to choose our leader. Party’s (BJP’s) central leadership and MLAs chose Parsekar as the leader. MGP should not have any say in that. In an alliance, it is not done that a partner will choose the leader for the main party,” Tanawade said.