Shah says Parrikar will continue as cm Cabinet reshuffle on cards
the goan I network
PANAJI
The ailing Manohar Parrikar, who has been battling a serious pancreatic ailment since February, will continue leading the BJP-led coalition government in Goa. He will, however, allocate the crucial portfolios he currently holds among his ministers and also effect a Cabinet shake-up to replace other ailing ministers with fresh faces from among party legislators.
BJP National President Amit Shah tweeted that the Goa coalition government will continue to be led by Parrikar, ending all speculation of a possible change in leadership in Goa for now.
In a post from his official twitter handle, Shah said: “After discussions with the BJP core team in Goa, it has been decided that Goa’s chief minister @manoharparrikar will continue to lead the government.”
Shah’s tweet also said that a Cabinet and portfolio reshuffle will be effected very soon.
Shah’s message ends a nearly 10-day exercise launched by the saffron party in Goa to explore an alternative to Parrikar, whose prolonged absence in office due to his health had begun seriously affecting the functionality of the coalition government.
With the Opposition Congress constantly targeting the government, the BJP’s central leadership feared that it would adversely affect the party’s popularity and as a consequence its chances in the two Lok Sabha seats at the next general election due in the first half of 2019.
An initial move to anoint PWD Minister Sudin Dhavalikar and give him the reins of the government by designating him as Deputy Chief Minister was shot down by the Goa Forward Party led by TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai.
Sardesai, who formed a new grouping of six MLAs by taking under his wings the three Independent legislators from the ruling coalition, pitched with the BJP central leadership for a ‘permanent arrangement’ rather than merely going in for a make-shift mechanism with Dhavalikar at its head.
Both Dhavalikar and
Sardesai may now be placated by allocating portfolios crucial for the day-to-day running of the administration such as finance, home and general administration.
None-the-less the schism between the two coalition partners and emergence of the ‘group of six’ which altered the numeric dynamics in the 40-member House forced the hand of the BJP to contemplate replacing Parrikar.
A central team led by national General Secretary Ram Lal was deputed to Goa which held talks with all MLAs of the ruling coalition as well as ex-ministers and ex-MLAs of the BJP to assess the political situation as well as explore an alternative to the CM.
Although two names -- Union Ayush Minister Shripad Naik and Rajya Shabha MP Vinay Tendulkar who is also State unit president -- had emerged in these discussions, it is now clear that Shah has for now deferred the proposal for now, at least.
