NT NETWORK
BICHOLIM
Independent MLA from Bicholim Naresh Sawal Wednesday resigned as member of the state legislative assembly by tendering his resignation to Speaker of Goa legislative assembly Anant Shet.
Stating that he will join the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) on January 8, Sawal said, “I will be the MGP candidate from Bicholim constituency for the state assembly election. I will join MGP on Sunday.” He said that he has taken all his supporters into confidence before deciding to join MGP.
Revealing that he had been in touch with MGP leaders earlier, Sawal said that he decided to join the party after declaration of the state election date by the Election Commission of India.
Leader of MGP and ex-PWD minister Ramakrishna alias Sudin Dhavalikar had earlier announced Sawal’s name as the MGP candidate from Bicholim constituency for the assembly election, which will be held on February 4.
The MGP and Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM), political outfit of Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM), have formed an alliance to contest the assembly polls and according to their agreement, Bicholim constituency has been kept by MGP for itself, while Mayem and Sankhali constituencies in Bicholim taluka have been given to GSM.
The BBSM has been fighting for withdrawal of grants to English medium schools and for the cause of promoting regional languages as medium of instruction.
“I have strongly supported Marathi language and Goa Suraksha Manch stand from the beginning, so I will get full support of GSM workers and supporters,” said Sawal. “For the last five years, I have tried my level best to develop Bicholim constituency and have been successful in developing Bicholim town and village panchayats from the constituency even though I was not in power,” he said.
It may be recalled that Sawal had contested from Bicholim constituency during the 2012 state assembly election as an Independent candidate after he was denied ticket by the Congress party. He had won the last election by defeating his nearest rival BJP candidate Manohar Shirodkar.
