Panaji, April 4 : Maharashtrwadi Gomantak Party (MGP), which was responsible for the defeat of BJP's South Goa candidate in 2019, has now lent full support to BJP with a promise of maximum votes from their citadels.

MGP's MLA Sudin Dhavalikar, who is currently Power Minister in Chief Minister Pramod Sawant's government, had worked against BJP in 2019 by supporting Congress and hence BJP's South Goa candidate Narendra Sawaikar had lost by 9755 votes, despite being then sitting MP.

He was dropped from the Cabinet in the last term (2017 to 2022) of the BJP government after his two MLAs split from the regional party and joined the BJP back then. To retaliate, senior politician Sudin Dhavalikar supported Congress in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, which helped grand old party's candidate Francisco Sardinha to win from the South Goa seat.

However, after the results of the 2022 assembly elections, BJP despite having a majority, MGP MLA Sudin Dhavalikar was accommodated in Pramod Sawant's cabinet.

Recently, when MGP organised a meeting in Marcaim constituency, represented by Sudin Dhavalikar, to introduce BJP's new face candidate Pallavi Dempo to his voters, the former said that he would give 80 per cent votes to her from his constituency and maximum votes from other constituencies where his party has a good hold on voters.

'Though we had some differences earlier, now we are in government and I am confident to give 80 per cent votes from my constituency,' Dhavalikar said during the meeting.

'Since 1999, I have never organised a public meeting in my constituency. My party workers are my strength hence I never went to anyone to seek votes,' Dhavalikar said.

Speaking to IANS, MGP President Deepak Dhavalikar, brother of Sudin Dhavalikar said that till today constituencies like Marcaim, Ponda, Shiroda and Sanvordem are their citadel.

'In South Goa, we have around 6 to 7 per cent vote share. With our support to BJP for Lok Sabha, we will win this seat with at least ten thousand margin,' Dhavalikar said.

'It is evident that whichever party has our support in the South, they have won. We have a stronghold in constituencies like Marcaim, Ponda, Shiroda, and Sanvordem. This helps any party who takes our support,' he said.

South Goa Congress MP Francisco Sardinha admitted that the MGP helped him during the 2019 Lok Sabha election, saying as they are now alliance partners of BJP, their vote share will go to BJP. 'But we have support from the Aam Aadmi Party, they will help Congress to gain votes,' Sardinha said.

In the 2009 elections, the South Goa Lok Sabha seat was won by Sardinha with a 12,516 lead. His opponent Narendra Sawaikar had bagged 1,14978 votes. In 2014, Sawaikar won against Congress candidate Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco with 32,330 votes with the support of MGP and in 2019 he lost with a drop of 3 per cent vote share compared to 2014, which was 48 per cent.

Independent MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco has supported the BJP government and it has also the support of the MGP.

The coastal state will go to poll on May 7, in the third phase of Lok Sabha general elections for two seats, North and South.

/IANS