Meet Sudin Dhavalikar, the politician in whose hands lies the future of the BJP and Congress if the verdict turns out to be of a hung assembly. Dhavalikar is the last man standing of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) in the 40-member Goa assembly.
The 66-year-old civil contractor-turned-politician, Dhavalikar, joined the MGP in the early 1990s. Since then, he has remained a loyal party worker and has been successfully elected thrice to the Goa Assembly.
Goa’s oldest and indigenous political party, the MGP was founded by Dayanand Bandodkar, state’s first chief minister in 1963 after being liberated from the Portuguese rule.
Considered as the most powerful person in the MGP, Dhavalikar has served as a minister in BJP and Congress governments. He has held important portfolios such as the Public Works Department, Fisheries and Transport in the governments led by BJP’s Manohar Parrikar and Laxmikant Parsekar and also Congress’ Pratapsingh Rane and Digambar Kamat.
Speaking to News18 about his role in being the “possible kingmaker" in case of a hung assembly in the 2022 elections, Dhavalikar was confident that his party will play a major part in it.
“We have to wait and see what the results have in store. We have spoken to the Congress and the BJP. But no decision will be taken without consulting our ally TMC. We are not prepared to say anything until the verdict is out," Dhavalikar said.
“Whenever I have a supported a party, I have given a stable government. This time people have voted for ‘parivartan’ (change) and that ‘parivartan’ is a stable government," he added.
A die-hard fan of cricket, Dhavalikar had been a “very good wicketkeeper" during his sporting days, one of his close aides and friends, told News18.
“Even now, he is just like a wicketkeeper in politics… ensuring the team is safe and secure," said the aide who requested anonymity.
Dhavalikar, until recently served as Goa’s deputy chief minister in the Pramod Sawant-led BJP government. He was later dropped by Sawant after two of MGP’s MLAs — Deepak Parsekar and Manohar Ajagaonkar — deserted the MGP to join the BJP, leaving Dhavalikar as the sole representative of the party in the assembly.
This is not the first time that Dhavalikar has been sacked. In 2016, he was part of the Manohar Parrikar government, but later that year was removed by Laxmikant Parsekar. Parsekar became the Goa Chief Minister between 2014 and 2017 after Parrikar was inducted into the Union Cabinet as the defence minister. Parsekar justified his move saying Dhavalikar had made a series of statements against then BJP government.
Dhavalikar has often been called an “opportunist" by political parties but the seasoned politician has an apt reply — “It is not opportunism, but smartness to be able to be a key player," he quips.
Asked whether he would align with the BJP despite being “insulted" by the Sawant government, Dhavalikar said a decision would be made after the results are completely out and taking TMC into confidence. Both MGP and TMC built their campaigns against the ruling BJP and the need to give people a “Navi Sakaal" or a New Day.
“It’s in his name too… ‘Sudin’ also means New Day, that is why, people believe in him and vote for the MGP," said another MGP party worker who did not want to be named.
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