Talks for alliance with MGP will begin after Oct 4: Manohar Parrikar

Panaji, Sep 17 Union Defence Minister and BJP leader Manohar Parrikar today said the talks for pre-poll alliance with Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) will begin after October 4.

"We have to fight on all 40 seats with all the strength by taking along the alliance partners. The talks about the alliance (with MGP) will begin only after October 4," he told the core party workers here in presence of Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar.

"We respect our alliance partners, but BJP is also in a position to fight all the 40 seats on its own," Parrikar said.

Assembly elections in Goa are scheduled to be held next year. He said in 2012 Assembly polls BJP got majority on its own but had honoured the commitment to MGP by offering them two ministerial berths.

"I was advised by many people that I could accommodate two more BJP MLAs in the Cabinet by keeping away MGP. But we didn't do that. BJP is a party which never forgets its friend," the former Chief Minister said.

BJP had won 21 seats and MGP three in the 2012 state polls. Parrikar said he would would visit every village and concentrate on the elections in the coastal state.

"We had visited the villages during 2012 polls when the situations were adverse for us. It is said that the people voted for Parrikar in 2012 polls, but it is not true. People voted for the party, Parrikar was just an instrument," he said.

PTI