The MGP along with Shiv Sena and Goa Suraksha Manch had fought the last election opposing grants to English medium primary schools
In a surprising development, the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) has decided to drop their main election issue of 'medium of instruction' and focus on development and governance.
The MGP along with Shiv Sena and Goa Suraksha Manch had fought the last election opposing grants to English medium primary schools. They had demanded outright scrapping of government aid given to diocesan and archdiocesan society's English medium primary schools.
"The Medium of Instruction (MoI) is no longer an issue for us. We went into the election with the issue. But people rejected us. That means they rejected the issue. So why should we pursue it?" said MGP supremo and PWD Minister, Sudin Dhavalikar.
MGP contested 22 seats during the last assembly election in Goa but won only 3. Their party president and brother of Sudin, Deepak Dhavalikar also lost the election. MGP had broken alliance with the BJP on face of the election. However, Sudin joined the BJP-led government again post results.
"My advise to the Shiv Sena and Goa Suraksha Manch also is to drop the issue. People are not interested in it. Let's move on," Sudin advised his alliance partners.
However, the GSM has not taken the advise kindly. The common minimum programme released by the government also mentions that there would be no change in the present MoI policy. The party founded under the leadership of former Goa RSS chief Subhash Velingkar has alleged that the policy continued by the Parrikar-led government would finish Konkani and Marathi primary schools in the state.
In a press conference addressed in Panaji, GSM leaders claimed that more than 540 Marathi and Konkani schools will shut down in Goa due to this MoI policy. The party has also taken potshots at the MGP stating that the Sudin led party was never honest about the issue.
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