Panaji: Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM) reacted with disgust to the midnight merger of two of the three Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) MLAs with BJP while circumventing the anti-defection law. Former Goa RSS chief and founder of GSM Subhash Velingkar said that the “immoral” act had “disappointed” grassroots workers and voters in the state.“This is immoral, self-centred neurotics of political parties,” Velingkar said. “The current politicians, in order to remain in power, are willing to go to any extent without considering what their voters think or hope for.”In a post-midnight political move, Sanvordem MLA Deepak Pauskar quit MGP along with tourism minister Manohar Azgaonkar to join the saffron party and thus shore up the BJP’s strength in the House. In the same move, deputy chief minister Ramkrishna Dhavalikar was dropped from the cabinet. GSM fought the 2017 Goa Assembly elections in alliance with Shiv Sena and MGP.GSM slammed the developments and said that the coalition government had failed to respect the sentiments and mandate of the people. “Two or three leaders sitting high up are ruling and to keep them in power, this political manipulation is taking place,” Velingkar said.The slew of defections and political manoeuvring had left many citizens disappointed, Velingkar said, adding that people would teach the BJP a lesson in the coming hustings.“Betrayers from either of the political parties enjoy good days it seems, that is the kind of politics that we see today. But people will teach these betrayers a lesson, they will send them home in the coming byelections, I have no doubt about this,” Velingkar said.

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