Goa Elections 2017: MGP's CM face hopes party will regain lost glory

The Maharashtravadi Gomantak Party (MGP) was to Goa what the Shiv Sena was to Maharashtra in the nineties. Stoking regional pride and speaking of 'true' Goan culture, the party ruled the state—which has a large number of Christian population, 25 per cent as per 2011 census—for 17 long years.

Then came the period of decline. Its popularity nosedived to such an extent that the party was left with just three MLAs in the outgoing Assembly. And the Dhavalikar Brothers, as they are known in Goa, are now fighting the biggest battle of their lives: that of survival.

MGP was a minor partner in the outgoing BJP-led government. With their numbers too small against BJP's 21 in the 40-member strong Assembly, the party was struggling for visibility. Eyeing a bigger say in the state's electoral politics, the party parted ways with the BJP and found a new ally in RSS' dissident leader Subhash Velingkar. Leading the coalition, the party is contesting from 24 constituencies for February 4 elections.

The day for Dhavalikars begins early. By Goan standard, which is sushegad (relaxed), meeting visitors at 8 am is pretty early. But the Dhavalikars are using every minute they can. In their office adjacent to the famous Mahalaxmi Temple in Bandoda, 32 km away from the state capital of Panjim, they have a steady line of visitors. By 9.30 am, the office was bristling. While some carry vital inputs from constituencies, some have brought along newly enrolled voters and some are die-hard loyalists.

Pandurang Dhavalikar is tasked with hands-on monitoring of the campaign while Sudin is the chief ministerial face of the party. It is impossible to talk to either of them in the middle of the visitors. So Sudin reschedules the conversation to 2.30 pm, but at his bungalow in Panjim.

So, 2.30 pm it is. For someone who is accused of occupying the far-right wing space in Goa politics—the Dhavalikar family has been accused of favouring Sanatan Parivar that has been in the eye of a storm over the killings of rationalists Dr Narendra Dabholkar and comrade Pansare—Dhavalikars live a stone's throw away from the Archbishop's palace in Goa. Sudin has fewer visitors here and it is easier to talk. The BJP leaders, particularly former chief minister Manohar Parrikar, has launched a scathing attack on him and Sudin is too happy with the new title given to the brothers, Rahu-Ketu, the two imaginary planets that gobble the sun and the moon during eclipse time.

"Of course we are Rahu-Ketu and we will gobble up the BJP. They messed with the wrong people. The people of Goa will not forgive them," he said.

When asked why his party decided to break the alliance with the BJP, Dhavalikar claims the BJP couldn't digest his rising popularity. "I was the king for the people. As PWD and Transport Minister, I gave jobs to many. The CM (Laxmikant Parsekar) wouldn't clear them. There was no point in continuing with them," Dhavalikar says.

The BJP has marginalised the dominant regional parties in states where they are in alliance. Has it eclipsed the MGP too the same way?

"I could see through their plans. Hence we decided to part ways and ascertain our identity. MGP represents the true identity of Goa and that will reflect in the election results," Dhavalikar says.

Dhavalikar's confidence emanates from the fact that a large chunk of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) workers has distanced itself from the BJP under the leadership of Subhash Velingkar, who was upset over the BJP veering away from its core ideologies.

"Parrikar is totally under the control of the Archbishop of Goa," alleges Velingkar. "God knows what they have on him, but he is acceding to all their demands, even those that are not legitimate," Velingkar adds.

Velingkar's differences started with the Goa government's decision to allow primary education from the first standard. "This is against the national policy where three languages are taught to children—local language, national language and English. I am not opposed to English education, but at least till fifth standard, children must be exposed to the local language," says Velingkar.

Velingkar tried to raise the issue with Parrikar and the other top brass in the BJP, but in vain. After stiff opposition, it has been deferred, but Velingkar claims Parrikar has promised the Church that it will soon be a reality.

After realising that he was not being heard in the party, Velingkar decided to break ranks and join hands with MGP and Shiv Sena.

"As per our survey, the alliance stands a good chance of winning 17 of the 33 seats it is contesting from," he said adding, "We will add another five to this list in the coming days."

Both Velingkar and Dhavalikar are open to joining hands with the BJP, but on their own terms. "We won't approach them. They will come to us once the results are out. They have no other go," said Dhavalikar.