'Conspiracy,' cries BJP ally, warns it will quit Goa govt

Panaji: The Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), support of whose three MLAs is crucial for the stability of BJP-led dispensation in Goa, Tuesday said a "conspiracy" was being hatched by "our rivals" that might force it to move out and align with the Congress to form a new government. The party has three MLAs in the 40-Member Goa Assembly and its senior leader and Marcaim legislator Sudin Dhavalikar is the deputy chief minister in the Pramod Sawant government.

MGP president Dipak Dhavalikar alleged one of his party's officer-bearers was "made to issue a letter" to the governor and speaker declaring authority over entire legislative affairs of the outfit. Dhavalikar said the MGP Central Committee would meet Wednesday to chalk out its future course of action, which, he claimed, can decide the fate of the state government.

"There is a larger conspiracy under which one of our senior officer bearers, general secretary Lavoo Mamlatdar, was made to issue a letter to the governor and speaker, in which he stated that he was taking over the entire authority on legislative affairs of the party," Dhavalikar said. He said his party was the state's oldest regional outfit but some sections were opposed to its growth.

Mamlatdar had last week written a letter to the governor and Assembly speaker stating he was the sole authority in the MGP to communicate party decisions to them. Following the letter, the MGP had expelled Mamlatdar.