Will convince ally MGP not to fight Goa bypolls: BJP leader

The Goa BJP Saturday said it would try to convince the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, an ally in the Manohar Parrikar government, to not field candidates against the party for Mandrem and Shiroda Assembly bypolls in the state.

The MGP's central committee had, earlier this week, resolved to contest the bypolls for both seats.

Both seats had fallen vacant after Congress MLAs Dayanand Sopte (Mandrem) and Subhash Shirodkar (Shiroda) resigned from the Assembly to join the BJP.

BJP Goa unit chief Vinay Tendulkar said the party would talk to MGP president Dipak Dhavalikar on this issue.

"We have already informed our central leaders about MGP's announcement to contest by-elections. Our state-level leaders will speak and if that fails, then central leaders will step in," Tendulkar said.

He added that he had called Dhavalikar for a meeting but the latter was out of town.

He said certain MGP leaders are pointing towards the strained relations between the Shiv Sena and the BJP in Maharashtra to justify their stand to fight Goa bypolls.

The Sena and the BJP are allies in the Devendra Fadanvis government in the neighbouring state but have constantly engaged in verbal duels.

"The situation in Maharashtra is different. There the Sena attacks the PM, our party president etc. But here, we have cordial relations with the MGP," Tendulkar said.