BJP AFTER MGP TO FORM ALLIANCE

PANJIM: Firmly believing in the power of coalition for the establishment of a government, the election strategists in the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party have displayed a positive frame of mind as regards joining hands with the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, during the forthcoming elections to the state legislative assembly.

The president of the state unit of the BJP, Mr Laxmikant Parsekar said on Thursday that coalitions are always advantageous for any political party, as even 10 per cent of increase in the vote share due to the coalition, gets translated into almost 50 to 60 per cent rise in the number of seats. “And the BJP definitely wants to go far ahead of the 14 seats it is holding in the state legislative assembly today, even if it means sharing seats with a coalition partner,” he added, pointing out that the BJP has a very honest desire to have coalition with the MGP, mainly to prevent spilt in the anti-Congress votes.

Speaking further, Mr Parsekar admitted that the strength of the Congress in the electoral constituencies situated in Salcete taluka is still a serious problem in the BJP camp. “One of the solutions to this problem is strengthening the BJP position in all electoral constituencies in the Bardez taluka, so as to counter the Congress strength in the Salcete taluka,” the state BJP president observed, “But I feel that the ideal solution would be to field 10 to 12 candidates from Catholic community as well as other minority communities for making our panel all-inclusive.” And these candidates should be identified and projected well before the assembly elections, he noted.

Observing that the BJP would not be able to match the ‘filthy abuse of money’ as resorted to by the Congress, before the assembly elections, Mr Parsekar said that his party has chalked out a plan wherein organisational setup would play major role during preparations for the assembly polls.

“The BJP will place assembly election responsibility vis-à-vis 189 village panchayats, 14 municipal councils and the lone municipal corporation in the state, on the shoulders of the members of state executive as well as two district executives of the party, and those of the booth level,” the state BJP chief stated, informing that even he himself, the leader of the opposition, Mr Manohar Parrikar and the North Goa MP, Mr Shripad Naik would be entrusted with the said responsibility.

“The independent setup going up to booth level is the healthiest setup for the assembly election campaign,” he noted.

Mr Parsekar, however, observed that all these tactics, such a line of attack cannot face the money as well as muscle power and brutal use of government machinery during the election, on their own.

“We need the people to revolt against the corrupt system, which will successfully supplement the BJP’s effort to overthrow the present government through the ballot box, or to be more precise electronic voting machine,” he observed, pointing out that if the forthcoming assembly election becomes the issue of the very existence of Goans, then nothing can stop the Congress and its allies from facing a dismal defeat.

When questioned about the effect of the newly delimited electoral constituencies on the poll prospects of the BJP, the state BJP president said that though the two BJP held constituencies namely Pernem and Canacona have been erased from the electoral map of Goa, another two -- Porvorim and Dabolim -- have been introduced; both having maximum number of BJP supporting voters.

“As regards the delimited electoral constituencies in general, I can say that the process of delimitation has ensured uniform voter strength for each of these constituencies,” he noted.

Replying to a question, Mr Parsekar said that even though old issues such as selling of government jobs for money are still alive, much bigger and more serious issues such as illegal mining and drug mafia have made their presence felt in Goa. “If I draw a 6 inch line on a blackboard, its presence will be very obvious, but if a 60 inch line is drawn next to it, the 6 inch line will become almost invisible,” Mr Parsekar, a teacher by profession argued, maintaining that same situation stands true for the issue of sale of government jobs and that of illegal mining.

Answering another question, the state BJP president said that election in-charge of his party for Goa state, Mr Gopinath Munde will release a book titled, Tainted Government in English and Kalankit Sarkar, its Marathi version during a special city function on March 4.

“These books will expose the government through the information supplied to the state legislative assembly by none other than the government,” he said, adding that one of the important aspects in the books will be illegal mining.

“First of all, there is a vast difference in the actual mineral ore extracted in Goa and that exported from the state; the discrepancy standing at 6 million tons during 2008-09 and at 5 million tons during 2009-10,” Mr Parsekar said, further quoting the government information, “And altogether 85 applications are still under the consideration of the department of mines, seeking licences for new mines, all collectively admeasuring an area of 14,113 hectares, that too in environmentally sensitive talukas of Canacona, Quepem, Sanguem and Pernem.”

“And illegal mining continuing unabated with the support and active involvement of the powerful ruling side politicians as well as members of the state cabinet, is just one of the issues that can end the very existence of Goa,” Mr Parsekar alleged, observing that though the assembly election is some months away, the ruling side MLAs are already into financial transactions, in their respective electoral constituencies.

“The BJP is however, all ready to face the assembly polls, irrespective of whether they are held this year or after the end of the five-year tenure of the present government,” he concluded. - NT