The ruling BJP alliance suffered another setback in Goa on Monday after Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar criticised MGP leader and State Transport minister Sudin Dhavalikar over his outburst against the state government and said those unhappy are free to quit.
“Sudin Dhavalikar is no one to set the agenda for me.If he feels suffocated in the state government, he should resign and go, and then make a public statement against us,” Parsekar told reporters in Panaji.
The Chief Minister was reacting to the statement by Dhavalikar accusing him (CM) of taking the state ten years backward during his rule of two-and-half years.
MGP has already announced that they will not forge an alliance with BJP for the upcoming State Legislative Assembly polls if Parsekar continues to head the BJP legislative party.
In turn, Parsekar today accused MGP of not being loyal to the alliance partners.
“They are not loyal to the alliance, they only cling to power. Before 2012 elections they were with the Congress,” he was quoted by PTI.
“The current government is mine. If someone is not happy with it or we are non-performing, they are free to resign and go,” the Chief Minister said.
“It is for the people of Goa to decide whether I have taken the state ten years backward or twenty years backward,” he commented.
Suspecting that Dhavalikar was being instigated by some elements against the government, Parsekar questioned the minister s (Dhavalikar s) sudden angst in the last few days.
“What has happened that suddenly Dhavalikar has started reacting this way in last two-three days ? Has he met someone who has instigated him or he has started dreaming of becoming chief minister,” he said, indirectly referring to rebel RSS leader Subhash Velingkar led Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM) which has proposed alliance with MGP for upcoming polls.
When asked why he was not sacking Dhavalikar from the cabinet, the Chief Minister said he will not misuse his power.
Goa is scheduled to go for crucial assembly polls next year with the BJP-led alliance facing stiff challenge from rivals Congress and the new entrant, Aam Aadmi Party.
Parsekar appears to have fallen out of favour with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had refused to acknowledge his greetings during his recent visit to the state.
The video of Parsekar with folded hands making desperate attempts to draw Modi’s attention had gone viral on social media platforms.
(With additional inputs from PTI)