Panaji, Dec 4 (TNN): There has been growing antagonism between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) over the last few months which increased after the reshuffling of portfolios and the speculations are there that the umbilical cord between the two may snap sooner than later.

BJP and MGP senior leaders told TOI that the situation has gone from bad to worse between both the alliance partners which could result into the termination of a nearly three-year-old alliance, soon after the byelection of Panaji constituency.

BJP-MGP sources said St Cruz constituency is one of the crucial points to weaken the ties between BJP and MGP as both are interested in contesting St Cruz constituency if sitting MLA Antanasio 'Babush' Monserrate vacates his seat to contest the byelection in Panaji constituency. Sources said that both parties have told their workers to start work in St Cruz constituency as elections may be around the corner.

During the 2012 seat-sharing formula between the BJP and MGP, the St Cruz seat was given to the MGP, wherein they fielded mining baron Dinar Tarcar as their candidate who lost to Monserrate.

The recent attack on each other by BJP and MGP workers has sent a clear indication that there is something going wrong in the BJP-MGP alliance.

The friction between two parties was seen from the beginning of this week, when BJP Taleigao mandal blocked the road to protest against PWD minister Ramkrishna 'Sudin' Dhavalikar for the bad roads in Taleigao constituency and within a day after the BJP criticized Dhavalikar, MGP made a representation to Union defence minister Manohar Parrikar demanding to release land occupied by the Indian Army for the last 22 years in Ponda and hand it over to the Ponda municipal council.

MGP claims that the friction started between BJP and MGP after it was sidelined by its "big brother" in the coalition government, and the recent stripping of the cooperation portfolio from MGP president Pandurang 'Deepak' Dhavalikar. Whereas BJP claims that it was MGP who started interfering in panchayats ruled by BJP by getting their members elected as sarpanchas.

BJP claims that MGP moved a no confidence motion against BJP sarpanch at Betki-Khandola panchayat and MGP supported candidate was made as new sarpanch, similarly in Bhoma panchayat MGP did not allow BJP lady candidate to become the sarpanch of the pancahyat.

MGP also upset because their senior minister Sudin has been given PWD portfolio but most of the work is being carried out by Goa state infrastructure development corporation which directly come under the chief minister. MGP also wanted better corporation for their Ponda MLA Lavoo Mamledar however was left with handicraft corporation.

The recent held BJP karyakarta meeting, BJP karyakarta and BJP MLAs had demanded to remove the PWD portfolio from Sudin as he doesn't take up work in BJP-ruled constituencies.

When contacted BJP state president Vinay Tendulkar over the resentment between BJP and MGP, Tendulkar said there may be resentment in MGP because cooperation portfolio was removed from Deepak but I don't see any resentment among both the parties. He also said at present MGP-BJP is in alliance and whether alliance will continue or not it would depend on situation. "The decision on alliance future would be decided as and when situation comes," he added.

MGP senior leader said that the rift between both parties started immediately after the lok sabha election. During the lok sabha election BJP kept MGP close to their heart but soon after the results they started sidelining the MGP.

BJP senior leader said that Deepak was stripped of the cooperation portfolio because MGP had started making inroads in many constituencies and increasing their vote base by getting connected with common man through dairy societies and cooperative societies.

Dhavalikar said that MGP doesn't have any resentment against the BJP and the government will complete its term and fulfill all the promises given to the people of the state. He also said that both parties are obliged to follow the coalition dharma as it was pre-poll alliance.

He also said that if both parties think that the alliance should be break up then dissolution of assembly should come as we have been voted to power together.

In 1994, MGP-BJP, first time came together in the electoral history of Goa and formed the alliance to contest the assembly polls despite reservation from MGP senior leaders. In 1994 maximum seat were given to MGP and BJP opened its account in the state. In 1999 with the BJP increasing his base in Goa, BJP decided to go single and alliance was broken. In 2012 once again BJP-MGP came together and this time BJP contested highest number of seats and MGP contesting just seven seats in the state out of which they won three seats and BJP won 21 seats.