Goa mining crisis will be resolved much before LS polls: BJP

A day after the GFP threatened that it won’t support the BJP in the next Lok Sabha polls if the mining crisis in Goa is not resolved, the latter today said a solution to the problem would be found much before the general elections.

Vijai Sardesai, president of the Goa Forward Party (GFP), a constituent of the BJP-led Goa government, had yesterday said that the BJP will land in “trouble” if the mining activities in the state don’t resume immediately.

“We won’t support the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections if they fail to resolve the mining crisis,” he had said.

On the GFP’s stance, the ruling saffron party said the mining crisis would be resolved soon.

“There will no issue of GFP not supporting BJP during Lok Sabha polls as the mining industry crisis would be resolved soon, much before the upcoming Parliamentary polls,” BJP’s Goa unit president Vinay Tendulkar told PTI.

He said the Centre was serious about the issue and it was trying all possible ways to resume operations of the iron ore mining industry in the state.

“All the three BJP MPs from Goa are working overtime to find a solution to the crisis. We are sure the problem will be resolved soon,” Tendulkar said.

While Tendulkar is a Rajya Sabha member, Shripad Naik and Narendra Sawaikar are the Lok Sabha MPs from Goa.

Responding to a question, Tendulkar ruled out the possibility of moving an ordinance on the floor of the House for the resumption of the mining activities.

“We will try to resolve the matter through courts only. We are sure the Supreme Court will give us relief,” he said.

The apex court in its order passed in February this year, had quashed the second renewal of 88 mining leases and directed that the operations be stopped from March 16. The SC order has resulted in the closure of the mining industry, which has around two lakh employees.