Goa CM targets MGP, says those indulging in graft now gone

In a veiled attack on the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), an estranged ally of the ruling BJP, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has accused it of indulging in corruption.

Speaking at a corner meeting at Shiroda Assembly constituency on Thursday, Sawant said the corrupt have now gone.

His criticism comes hours after the MGP announced its support to the Congress in the Lok Sabha elections in Goa.

In the last week of March, MGP leader and deputy chief minister Sudin Dhavalikar was dropped from the Goa cabinet for allegedly failing to adhere to the common minimum programme of the coalition government. Sawant had said the MGP's insistence on contesting the Shiroda assembly bypoll against the BJP led to his sacking.

By-election to Shiroda Assembly constituency will be held on April 23. MGP chief Deepak Dhavalikar is pitted against BJP's Subhash Shirodkar.

"We want a stable government. We will provide a government, which is free from corruption. Na khaunga, na khane dunga (Neither will I take bribe, nor will I allow anyone to take bribe). Those who indulged in corruption have now gone," he said.

Reacting to MGP's decision to support Congress in the general elections, Sawant said the Dhavalikar brothers (Sudin and Deepak) were selling their party to the Congress.

"It has never happened in the past that MGP has been sold out to Congress this way. But Dhavalikar brothers did it, for the sake of their own benefit," he said.

The chief minister claimed that Sudin Dhavalikar had, during formation of government (after passing away of Manohar Parrikar), assured BJP chief Amit Shah that the MGP would not field its candidate in the Shiroda by-election.

"But the very next day, Sudin turns up to tell me that we will have a friendly fight in Shiroda. I completely disagreed with him," he said.

The BJP-led dispensation in Goa enjoys the support of the Goa Forward Party (GFP) and independents, while the MGP is yet to formally withdraw its support to the government.