Gopinath Munde was father of BJP-MGP alliance in Goa: Leaders

PANAJI: The BJP leaders in Goa today recalled Gopinath Munde as the 'brain behind BJP-Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) alliance in the state' and mettle behind party's success in Goa.

The current Manohar Parrikar-led government is a BJP-MGP alliance, the union of like-minded parties conceived in the year 1994.

"The party and as leaders, we grew under the guidance of Munde at every step. The loss that we have faced in his demise cannot be expressed," Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar told PTI, after participating in the condolence meet organised at the party office here.

Parrikar said, "It is unfortunate incident that we lost a leader after party came to power at the Centre."

Senior party leader and state health minister Laxmikant Parsekar termed Munde as a force behind the historic BJP-MGP pre-poll alliance.

"Munde was a brain behind BJP-MGP alliance for 1994 state legislative assembly election. The alliance brought BJP into the state legislative assembly for the first time," Parsekar said.

Parsekar said that Munde was a crowd-puller in talukas of Pernem, Bardez and Bicholim, where his public meetings used to be jam packed.

"He was known for his fluent oratory and we never had to work extra to pull the crowd," Parsekar said.

Party's Goa unit Vice President Govind Parvatkar recalled, how Munde always remembered each party leader by their names in Goa.