The Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) on Tuesday said it would back the decision of the Central government on naming of the new airport at Mopa in North Goa.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had on Monday announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the first phase of the international airport at Mopa on December 11. The airport, being built at a cost of Rs 2,870 crore, will be the second facility in the state in addition to the existing airport at Dabolim.

Political leaders in the coastal state have been at loggerheads about whom the facility should be named after. MGP secretary Anant Naik told PTI that the party's central committee has taken a resolution that the Mopa airport be named after the state’s first chief minister and founder president Dayanand Bandodkar.

“However, we are with the Central government in their decision on naming the airport,” Naik said. The MGP has extended support to the BJP and will back the party's every decision, he said.

A section of people are demanding that the upcoming airport be named after late Bandodkar, honouring his contribution to the state, post liberation from the Portuguese. The chief minister had earlier said that the decision of naming the airport lies with the Union Civil Aviation ministry.

(With PTI inputs)