TMC has 'nothing to say' about pre poll ally MGP extending support to BJP in Goa

The worst performing party in this year's Assembly election in Goa, the Trinamool Congress' Goa unit on Wednesday declined to comment on its pre-poll alliance ally Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) extending support to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to form the next government in the coastal state. 

Before the polls, the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) had forged an alliance with Goa's oldest regional outfit, presently led by Deepak Dhavalikar. However, after the result of the election on 10 March, MGP broke its ties with ally TMC and extended its support to the BJP. 

TMC Goa president Kiran Kandolkar told PTI on Wednesday, "We have nothing to say about the MGP backing the BJP. We had a pre-election alliance with the MGP, but it is no longer in effect because we have yet to win a seat."

Goa's Assembly election results dented Mamata Banerjee's national ambition as the party failed to even win a single seat in the 40 member House. The party's state president Kiran Kandolkar who was fighting from the Aldona Assembly seat failed to even retain his deposit. The party before the polls predicted that they would win 12 seats in the Goa Election and its ally MGP would win 7 seats. 

The TMC is concentrating on its future plans in Goa for which a special meeting is scheduled in the state capital Panaji on March 26, Kandolkar told PTI. Top TMC leaders, including Abhishek Banerjee and Sushmita Dev, would be participating in the meeting, he added.

We have to run Goa for 5 years: MGP Leader

With the BJP gaining half of the Assembly seats, MGP extended its support to Pramod Sawant in Goa. MGP was an old ally of the BJP and thus going back to the alliance comes easy to the party. Earlier after the results, MGP party leader Sudin Dhavalikar said, "We will give unconditional support to BJP, 3 independents supported BJP. We decided to come together to give good administration. We met Fadnavis along with other MLAs. Amit Shah and JP Nadda also contacted me." 

"There are no MLAs from TMC, opposition and Congress does not have a proper mandate. TMC did not get any seats in goa. We and BJP have to run Goa for 5 years. Nobody has come for any benefit. Since TMC is new in goa, they have to take some time here," Dhavalikar added.

Parmod Sawant to take oath as CM on March 28

Ending the suspense over the name for the top post, on Monday, the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) announced that Dr Pramod Sawant will continue as the Chief Minister of Goa, and will be sworn in on March 28 at 11 a.m. After the much-awaited legislature party meeting, Union Minister and BJP's central observer for Goa, Narendra Singh Tomar, said, "Vishwajit Rane had proposed the name of Pramod Sawant as the leader of the legislative party. Everyone unanimously elected Sawant as the leader. He will be the leader of the legislative party for the next five years."

"I want to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for giving me the opportunity to work as the CM of Goa for the next five years. I am glad that the people of Goa have accepted me. I will do everything possible to work for the development of the state," CM-designate Pramod Sawant told reporters.

The BJP emerged as the largest party in Goa, winning 20 seats in the 40-member state Assembly and demolishing Congress to 11 seats.