The Goan politics is going through a very critical state as the new developments in the political arena is not welcomed by some of the allies of the ruling party. According to the sources, Members of the Legislature Assembly (MLA) present in the coalition government are not happy with the move made by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar by allotting the cabinet berths to Curchorem MLA Nilesh Cabral and Mormagao Legislature Milind Naik. The Fatorda MLA criticized the move initiated by Parrikar calling, the haste in the cabinet expansion could have been avoided.
GFP president Vijai Sardesai told PTI that the instruction could have been given once everyone was onboard. Also adding that it has ruffled some feathers. The GFP leader came out in open fearlessly opposing the action of CM but some MLAs are making use of their associates to threaten the Parrikar lead government, which is not a good sign for the coalition.
At the swearing-in ceremony conducted on Monday at Raj Bhavan, the governor Mridula Sinha administered both the elected MLA with the oath. “I have nothing against the newly inducted ministers. It is an internal issue of the BJP, we have no right to discuss that but in politics, one should ensure that any political movement, which hurts people and results in bad blood, should be avoided,” Sardesai, agriculture minister in Manohar Parrikar-led cabinet said. “There are people who are aggrieved… No step should be taken which makes people aggrieved and capable of rocking the boat” said Sardesai.
It is very evident that the GFP and other MLA’s along with independent MLA’s are not very happy by the decision was taken by Parrikar, Independent MLA Prasad Gaonkar who had extended his support to the Parrikar government expressed his unhappiness in the functioning of the BJP led ruling coalition and hours after two ministers were inducted Prasad Gaonkar tended his resignation from the post of chairman of a state-run cooperation. Gaonkar said that he is unhappy with the functioning of the Parrikar government. “I had supported Manohar Parrikar as the chief minister because I was impressed with his style of functioning. But now I find that the current government has done an injustice to my people”. Gaonkar was among the group of six MLA’s headed by GFP president Vijai Sardesai, who expressed solidarity with the Parrikar government before a team of BJP central observers.
Gaonkar stated that in the absence of the Chief Minister the entire administration has come to a standstill. He stated that the BJP-led government has failed to find solutions to key issues like the ban on the mining industry, which is a source of livelihood for thousands of people in the state. Of late, the political situation in Goa has been a matter of much speculation in the backdrop of Parrikar’s ill health who is admitted at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi.
Gaonkar is one among the three Independent MLA’s supporting the Parrikar government, who also has the backing of two regional outfits which are Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and the Goa Forward Party (GFP) (three MLAs each)- and the NCP (one MLA). When Gaonkar was questioned with regards to would he withdraw his support to the BJP government, he replied saying “Any decisions I take about the government will be only after taking my voters into confidence”.
However, BJP president Amit Shah has said the 62-year-old chief minister would remain in his post. The Opposition Congress has been claiming that all is not well in the BJP-led coalition government and has demanded a confidence vote in the Assembly.
