Goa looking to Maharashtra for help: Sena leader

The Shiv Sena's Goa unit chief Jitesh Kamat on Saturday said the state was banking on Maharashtra for rescuing it from a "political crisis". The ruling BJP has used "illegitimate" tactics and violated the anti-defection law, Kamat said, referring to MLAs from the Congress and some smaller parties joining the saffron party of late.

"During the liberation struggle against Portuguese rule, Maharashtra came to the rescue of the state. We are now looking at Maharashtra for salvaging the state from the current political crisis," said the Sena leader. During the liberation struggle, freedom fighters from Goa were given shelter in Maharashtra, he recalled.

Watch: After Maharashtra, Shiv Sena eyes Goa; 'Miracle coming,' claims Sanjay Raut

On Friday, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut had said that there would be an anti-BJP coalition in Goa, on the lines of Sena-Congress-NCP alliance which has come to power in Maharashtra. Raut had spoken to GFP leader Vijai Sardesai and MGP leader Sudin Dhavalikar, who said they favoured the idea.

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Goa BJP chief Vinay Tendulkar, however, pooh-poohed Raut's plans, terming the Sena a Mumbai-based political party. Kamat said on Saturday that the way Tendulkar and others had to hold a press conference and respond indicated that "all is not well within the BJP". "BJP, which claims that Sena is Mumbai-based party, should know that their own office is in Delhi," he said. The Sena has never won any Assembly or parliamentary seat in Goa.

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