Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party today withdrew support from the Congress-led coalition government in Goa and announced an alliance with main Opposition BJP for the March 3 Assembly polls.
MGP President Deepak Dhavalikar said the party has conveyed its decision to withdraw support
to the ruling alliance in writing to governor K Sankarnarayanan, Assembly speaker Pratapsinh Rane and chief minister Digambar Kamat.
Party minister Ramakrishna Dhavalikar resigned from the Cabinet last week. MGP, Goa's oldest regional outfit, currently has two MLAs in the 40-member Assembly.
The leaders of both parties later addressed a press conference here to announce the pre-poll alliance.
"BJP will contest in 31 seats and MGP in 8. Both parties will support an independent candidate in Cumbharjua constituency," BJP President Nitin Gadkari said.
Gadkari said MGP and BJP were "natural allies" and expressed confidence about the combine winning a majority.
"Our sole aim is to provide good governance," Gadkari said, adding a joint manifesto will be released soon.
MGP will fight in eight seats - Thivim, Priol, Ponda, Madkai, Dabolim, Nuvem, Benaulim and Quepem. The alliance will support independent candidate Nirmala Sawant in Cumbharjua.
Gadkari said BJP leaders will meet in Delhi this evening to finalise candidates. MGP, on the other hand, has said their list would be out tomorrow.