Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) and MGP today have officially announced their pre-poll alliance for the upcoming elections in the state.
MGP has been a long-term ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party. However, this time around, the MGP has chosen to join hands with the TMC a few months before the 2022 legislative assembly elections in Goa.
As per sources, the seat-sharing agreement has been formalised by Mamata Banerjee.
“We have done this alliance for the betterment of Goa. The BJP has now scared of this alliance; I want insiders to control Goa, not outsiders,” said Mamata Banerjee.
She further said that TMC and MGP will win the elections and that if anyone wants to defeat BJP, it’s up to them to support us.
Banerjee said she thought of talking on Bharatiya Janata Party as no other party was fighting. “Nobody fights BJP that is why I decided to take it on. If BJP can contest in West Bengal why can’t TMC in Goa,” she said.
She further said that she wants to see Goa as a sweet and cute state, and everybody in Goa should be well. Youth of Goa will have to take leadership,” she said.
Banerjee said states should be strong and so should be the federal structure. Ms Banerjee is on a three-day visit to the poll bound state.
“I am a human first. I am a Brahmin. I don’t need to take character certificate from BJP. Everytime there is election, they do Ganga isnaan. And the same people are responsible for not letting you throw the ashes of your loved ones who died due to covid in Ganga,” Banerjee said
MGP Supremo Sudin Dhavalikar said She (Mamata) is from a poor Brahmin family and she is ruling West Bengal and we all have to be proud of it.
“Faith is important more than anything else,” he said
MGP President Deepak Dhavalikar lauded Goa TMC’s Griha Laxmi scheme. He said it’s a big step towards women empowerment, 60,000 per year.
“Dhavalikar said that the decision to ally with TMC has been taken in Goa and Goans’ interest. With this alliance, more parties are likely to join hands with us,” said Deepak
Dhavalikar said that they cannot go with any other party. However, they were in talks with all other parties except BJP.
TMC Leader Leander Paes said taht he believe in partnerships. “I think partnerships always lead to success. This TMC-MGP partnership will give rich dividends in the days to come,” he said
MGP has been part of the government since 2007 when it first fought election in alliance with Congress. Then in 2012, the party joined hands with BJP and formed a complete majority government.
Just before polls in 2017, MGP withdrew its support to BJP and went independent. However, post-elections, it extended support to then CM late Manohar Parrikar to form the government.
MGP withdrew support to BJP in 2020, after two of their MLAs joined BJP and their leader Sudin Dhavalikar was dropped from the cabinet.