In yet another development that took place in the Goan politics the RM Manohar Parrikar had been appointed as the CM of Goa by the governor and asked him to prove the majority in the house within 15 days time after his swearing in as CM. Meanwhile the sources have said that Mr. Parrikar will contest election from Mapusa within the six months time to retain his position as the Chief Minister of Goa.
Finally despite the fractured mandate, BJP managed to form the government in Goa with the help of rival parties such as MGP, who deserted them before the election and Goa Forward who was fighting against the BJP’s policies in the state. Here the most surprising news is, both the regional parties who have extended their support to BJP have won the election by defeating the BJP candidates in their respective constituencies, which means that people gave mandates against the BJP in those places.
According to the sources, the governor of Goa Mrs. Mrudula Sinha has issued the letter of appointment as CM of Goa to Mr. Manohar Parrikar after he proved his majority with the letters of support from all the 9 candidates, (MGP 3 + GF 3 + IND 3) making their tally to 22 in the 40 member legislative assembly of Goa. Mrs. Sinha has given 15 days to Mr. Parrikar to prove the majority on the floor. Parrikar who has already resigned from his earlier post as the defence minister of India has made a claim of forming the government in the state. The swearing-in ceremony is likely to be held on Tuesday, said the sources.
Earlier Nitin Gadkari who had flown down to Goa to do the patch up work had confirmed that Mr. Parrikar will be the BJP’s CM candidate for Goa. Parrikar, on his part, said that once the BJP received an invitation, it would consult with its colleagues and pick a date for the swearing-in ceremony. On his tenure as Defence Minister, he said it was difficult since it was a new department, but added he was happy no corruption allegations were levelled against the government, ANI reported.
Despite of the fact that Congress had emerged as single largest party with 17 seats in the state, BJP is forming the government with the help of smaller regional parties, said the sources. The regional parties and the independents preferred to assign their support to the BJP who is ruling in the centre instead of extending the same to Congress who has the majority at the moment. In the 40-seat Goa Assembly, a party or coalition requires support of 21 MLAs to form the government. Congress has 17 MLAs and BJP only 13 but the latter cobbled together a coalition with nine out of the other 10 MLAs.
According to the sources, Goa Forward Party and Maharashtravadi Gomantak Party along with their 3 candidates respectively and all three independent MLAs met BJP leaders today evening and offered their letters of support. Soon the Goa Forward Party president Vijay Sardesai came out of the meeting and announced that they had decided to support BJP to form the next government in Goa under the leadership of Mr. Manohar Parrikar. Vijay Sardesai was accompanied the Rohan Khaunte and Sudin said the sources. According to them the Senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari and Manohar Parrikar had successfully managed to persuaded them to support BJP.
The Congress was confident that the independents and smaller Goa parties will come together to support a their government since the mandate in Goa went against the previous government. The outgoing government was a BJP government earlier led by Manohar Parrikar. Laxmikant Parsekar had replaced Parrikar as the latter was called by Narendra Modi to become the country’s defence minister. Parsekar’s popularity dipped soon and the party got a drubbing in the election in which Parsekar lost his own seat.
Manohar Parrikar, an IIT graduate, is popular in Goa and enjoys a clean image. He leads a simple life and people believe he is an honest politician where politicians are notoriously corrupt. Parrikar had earlier too expressed his desire to return to Goa because he did not like Delhi, particularly its food didn’t agree to his palate used to Goan fish recipes.
Meanwhile, the Congress leader Digvijaya Singh called it a political coup and accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of horse-trading. The BJP rubbished the allegations saying the independent MLAs and those of smaller parties had joined hands with BJP since they did not wish to support the Congress. Sources revealed that, all Goa Forward Party and Maharashtravadi Gomantak Party MLAs will be made ministers in the government. At least two independent MLAs including Rohan Khaunte would also get ministerial berths. The Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Assembly will be from the Bharatiya Janata Party this time.
NEWS SOURCE : ANI | IMAGE SOURCE : SOCIAL MEDIA
