Panaji, Oct 27 (IANS): If he has the guts, Meghalaya Governor Satya Pal Malik should resign from the Constitutional post and contest assembly elections in Goa, state Deputy Chief Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar said on Wednesday, while slamming the former Goa governor's comments on rampant corruption in the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant-led regime.

Speaking to reporters here, Ajgaonkar also alleged a conspiracy between Malik and the Opposition in Goa vis a vis slandering the Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition government in the coastal state.

"He has to safeguard the value of the Governor's position. If you have the guts you retire and say whatever you want. Come into politics, contest elections in Goa, we do not have a problem," Ajgaonkar told reporters on Wednesday.

"Do not defame Dr Pramod Sawant's name ahead of elections. The CM works 18 hours a day. He has raised infrastructure for Covid. He (Malik) is making these comments because he was made to run out of here," he also said.

Malik had stoked controversy on Monday after he told a national news channel in an interview that corruption was evident in "any and everything" thing in Goa and also accused the state government of graft in the handing out of rations to the people of the state during the lockdown last year. The Opposition in Goa has now demanded Sawant's resignation and a judicial probe into the accusations of graft made by Malik against the Goa government.

"He could have been in touch with the opposition, there could be fixing. He has given advantage to the opposition. He should be probed by the Home department. He should have evidence for the claims he is making," Ajgaonkar also said.