The party has its base amongst non-Brahmin Hindu migrants from Maharashtra and their descendants, a group that made up a large section of the poorer residents in Goa during Portuguese rule in Goa and whose numbers increased after 1961 by mass immigration from Maharashtra at the invitation of MGP politicians.

[3] The continued mass immigration of Marathi people from Maharashtra to Goa helped the MGP to hold on to power for much of the first two decades of post-Portuguese Goa, despite being affected by some defections, by defeating the other contenders for power — primarily the United Goans Party (not to be confused with the United Goans Democratic Party founded in the 1990s) and the Indian National Congress.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, particularly during its reign between 1999 and 2005, took over most of the Hindu voters and also a large chunk of the MGP workers.

[citation needed] MGP's plank was largely based on populism, and promising a better deal to the Hindu economically deprived and socially oppressed sections in Goa.

It was initially associated with a plank of merging Goa with the neighboring state of Maharashtra, a policy it subsequently backed away from when the 1967 Opinion Poll held in the region voted against the merger.

Hoping to end years of Congress rule in the state, the MGP entered into a pre-poll alliance with the BJP in Goa.

Considering that the MGP drew its support from the Bahujan Samaj and the BJP's demands for the demolition of the Babri Masjid, many believed that the electoral alliance would prove to be a tough competition to the ruling Congress as it would help consolidate the majority Hindu votes in its favor.

The candidates who won the elections on MGP ticket in 1994 were:[5] Following the results, the Congress formed a coalition government under the leadership of Pratapsinh Rane.

Former CM Dr. Wilfred de Souza broke away with another nine MLAs to form a new political party – the Goa Rajiv Congress which grabbed power, thanks to support extended by both, the MGP as well as the BJP.

Prior to the elections to the state assembly in February 2012, the MGP withdrew its support to the Congress led coalition government citing the medium of instruction as one of the issues.

Meanwhile, the MGP candidate Lavoo Mamledar beat Congress heavyweight and incumbent Home Minister Ravi Naik.

Later, they joined hands with Goa Suraksha Manch of RSS leader Subhash Velingkar and Shiv Sena and contested of 27 seat in the state.

It decided to support the BJP-led coalition on the precondition that former CM Manohar Parrikar who was serving as the Minister of Defense in the central ministry be brought back to lead the government in Goa.

[20] in December 2021, MGP agree a prepoll alliance with All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) for Goa election.

After the election results were tallied, MGP won two seats and the party gave the support latter to the BJP to Form the government in Goa again.