RSS rebel announces political party in Goa

PANAJI: The Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM) on Sunday launched its political party, the Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM), to contest the next assembly polls with the intention of defeating BJP and forming the next government in the state. After agitating for 15 months to withdraw the grant-in-aid to 132 English medium primary schools run by the church, senior BBSM functionary Subhash

Velingkar announced the political party in Panaji in the presence of BBSM supporters. Velingkar, a former sanghchalak of RSS Goa, was shunted out from the organisation recently. Anand Shirodkar has been appointed as the president of Goa Suraksha Manch. The party is likely to field candidates in 35 constituencies and claimed to have strong presence in nine constituencies in each district. Also announced were the state committee, district committees, youth wing and women's cell.

Shirodhkar said committees had been constituted at the panchayat-level and booth-level.

Velingkar said that as Maharastrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) did not give any assurance to break ties with BJP and join BBSM, they decided to give a political alternative to the people of Goa. "We have not closed doors to any political party," he said, addding that unconditional support will not be extended. BBSM had given Maharastrawadi Gomantak Party a September 30 deadline to decide whether they wanted to break the alliance with BJP and form an alliance, but MGP did not respond. Maharastrawadi Gomantak Party had openly declared support for the BBSM demand to withdraw grants to English medium schools.

Senior BBSM functionary Uday Bhembre said the state was facing several issues, "But our immediate priority is to defeat BJP and win the assembly election," he said. Shirodhkar said Goa Suraksha Manch would be in the forefront to form the next government in the state.