No clarity as to how long his
latest trip to the US will last
PANAJI: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar who was scheduled to return on Wednesday was instead flown to the United States after reportedly facing medical complications while undergoing treatment for his pancreatic ailment at Mumbai's Leelavati Hospital.
According to a CMO official, the decision to shift the chief minister to the United States due to a "minor complication" was taken by members of his family.
Parrikar was admitted to the Leelavati Hospital in Mumbai on August 23 less than a day after he had returned from a 10-day follow-up treatment at New York's Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center due to jet-lag related fatigue.
Earlier, he had undergone treatment for more than three months between March and June at the world renowned facility in New York.
On Wednesday, he was slated to come back to Goa but his family prevailed in ensuring he was taken to the US following confabulations with doctors who had treated him there.
There was however no clarity as to how long his latest trip to the US will last. Two other cabinet ministers - Francis D'Souza and Pandurang Madkaikar - are also out of Goa undergoing treatment for serious ailments.
While D'Souza is also said to be undergoing treatment at the same New York facility where Parrikar was treated, Madkaikar has been in a Mumbai hospital since suffering a stroke on June 5.
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Parrikar's departure triggers political
churn; BJP core team air-dashes to Mumbai
The chief minister is fine and will return to Goa soon
- Narendra Sawaikar
PANAJI: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's unscheduled departure for the United States for medical treatment of uncertain duration sent ripples in Goa's political and government circles with the ruling BJP dispatching a team to Mumbai to confabulate with the leader before his departure on Wednesday.
A core team of the ruling BJP air-dashed to Mumbai and confabulated with Parrikar at the Mumbai hospital. Rajya Sabha MP and Goa BJP chief, Vinay Tendulkar, South Goa MP Narendra Sawaikar, BJP treasurer Sanjiv Desai, BJP general secretary Sadanand Tanavade and vice-president Dutta Kholkar were among the leaders who met the chief minister.
"The chief minister is fine and will return to Goa soon," said Sawaikar after the meeting.
The BJP's Mayem MLA, Pravin Zantye, also met Parrikar and claimed that he was in a "relaxed mood". Zantye also posted photographs of his brief meeting with Parrikar at the Leelavati Hospital on a social media site.
Also on Wednesday, Union minister for AYUSH, Shripad Naik, sent tongues wagging when he indicated that the intervention of the BJP Central leadership will be resorted to sort out the political situation arising out of Parrikar's medical condition and that of a number of other cabinet ministers.
BJP's North Goa MP and Union Minister Shripad Naik on Wednesday did not rule out a return to state politics, saying that as disciplined soldiers the partymen took up any responsibility entrusted by the party. Naik said, the Central leadership will be apprised about the local situation in Goa. To another question, the five-term North Goa MP also did not rule out his return to local politics saying: "As disciplined soldiers of the party we take up whatever tasks given to us by the party."
"We are disciplined soldiers of the party. Whatever work the party gives us, we do it. The party will take a decision. After that things will move ahead," the Union Minister of State for AYUSH told the media here.
Responding to questions on how the criticism faced by the party and the government in Goa during the absences of the Chief Minister and his cabinet colleagues will be tackled, Naik said, he along with Sawaikar, Tendulkar and Tanavade, will visit Delhi and meet party chief Amit Shah to find a temporary "alternate arrangement".
"It is his prerogative. I don't know about it," Naik said when asked whether it was possible that Parrikar may step down due to his ill-health.
The AYUSH Minister said the BJP's priority was to ensure Parrikar regains his health. He also said, that he had just got the information that Parrikar had faced a "minor complication" at Mumbai and is referred back to the US.
"We have been told that he will be back in eight days," he said, adding that there should be some arrangement.
"It should be done as soon as possible. The party will decide at the earliest," Naik said, adding that he was aware of the intense criticism and bad press faced by the party and its government in Goa on this count.
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Will hold the fort, says Vijai
but mum on developments
MARGAO: Goa Forward supremo and TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai has said the ministers will hold the fort for Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar till he returns home, but has declined to comment on the developments unfolding in the BJP after the party’s core team reached Mumbai on Wednesday evening.
He parried the question on talks doing the rounds in the BJP and in political circles about the replacement of the Chief Minister, saying “I have nothing to comment. Let us cross the bridge when it comes”.
Sardesai, however, decline to offer comments on the BJP Core Committee meeting with the Chief Minister and the proposed visit to Delhi to call on BJP Chief Amit Shah, saying these matters pertain to the internal affairs of the ruling party.
“I have been told that the Chief Minster is heading back to the USA for better treatment. And, I have also been told that he would return home on September 9. Till then, we will hold the fort for the Chief Minister and remain alert so that the administration does not suffer”, Sardesai, a key partner in the Parrikar-led government told the Goan on Wednesday.
Reminding that the Coalition government led by Parrikar was formed at his initiative, the TCP Minsiter said the government is run by the Coordination Committee which is represented by the major alliance partners. “It is the members of this Coordination Committee who run the government”, he asserted, indicating that outside players have no say in the running of the government.’
While admitting that governance and administration has suffered in the absence of the Chief Minister and is a cause of concern, Sardesai, however, said the Chief Minister is going back for better treatment and will be back on September 9. “Governance and administration has indeed suffered because of the ill health of not just the Chief Minister, but two other Ministers. We will have to be alert to the aspiration of the people of Goa”, he added.
