BackBJP confirms 'consultations on' to select Manohar Parrikar's successor in Goa
Goa BJP confirmed that a process to select the successor to the Manohar Parrikar was on BJP swung into action to save its coalition government in Goa after Parrikar's health worsened
PremiumMumbai: The Goa Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday afternoon confirmed that a process to select the successor to the critically ill chief minister Manohar Parrikar was on and may take one or two days. Sandesh Sadhale, Goa BJP spokesperson, told Mint on the phone that a "series of meetings was on to select the successor to Parrikar and consultations may go on for one or two days," when asked about the BJP legislators' meeting called on Sunday.
Sadhale said the meeting was still underway as it was part of a wider process in which the BJP had involved its allies Maharashtravadi Gomantak Paksha (MGP), Goa Forward (GF), and Independents. "Today our central leaders in-charge of Goa would arrive and they would hold consultations with the BJP legislators as well as the allies. There isn't one specific meeting on this and we are into a series of meetings and discussions," Sadhale said.
Earlier in the day, the BJP swung into action to save its coalition government in Goa after Parrikar's health worsened and the opposition Congress staked claim to form government on Sunday. A senior BJP functionary tasked with an organisational role in Goa told Mint that the central leadership was "closely following the developments and may send central observers on Sunday to hold discussions with BJP legislators and smaller parties supporting BJP". The BJP functionary, who did not want to be named, did not rule out the possibility of Parrikar being replaced but added that the central leadership would take that call.
The opposition Congress on Saturday wrote a letter to Goa Governor Mridula Sinha saying the BJP-led coalition had lost majority in the legislature after the death of senior BJP legislator Francis D'souza last month reduced the BJP strength to 13 in the 40-member Goa assembly. The Congress has 14 legislators. However, Goa-based parties of Maharashtravadi Gomantak Paksha (MGP) and Goa Forward (GF), with three legislators each, and three Independents, are backing the BJP. Also on Saturday, GF chief and town and countryplanning minister in the Parrikar cabinet Vijay Sardesai visited the ailing chief minister along with other two GF MLAs and three Independents and reiterated support to the BJP even in the eventuality of the BJP selecting Parrikar's successor.
On Saturday evening, the Congress submitted another letter to the Governor's office seeing appointment and cautioning against imposing a President's rule in Goa. An official at the Governor's office told Mint on Sunday morning that no appointment had yet been given to the Congress.
Ever since the February 2017 elections in Goa that resulted in a hung assembly with Congress emerging as the single largest party with 17 MLAs, the BJP and the main opposition party have been sparring over government formation in the tiny coastal state not unfamiliar with political instability. The BJP had won only 13 seats but it quickly stitched up a post-poll coalition of MGP, GF, and Independents. Since 2017, the Congress also lost three MLAs to the BJP, one of which won a by-poll on the BJP ticket. The other two face by-polls on April 23 for the Shiroda and Mandrem seats along with Mapusa necessitated by D'souza's death.
Though the MGP, GF, and Independents have stuck with the BJP, Parrikar's long absence from office due to his prolonged illness has challenged the stability and functioning of the Goa government. Parrikar has been ailing with an advanced stage of pancreatic cancer for more than a year now.
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