If the government is projecting an ‘all is well’ image, it took just one ‘erroneous’ circular to give everyone in the coalition the shivers. It’s hard to digest how the administration can fumble on such a crucial and sensitive circular and later retract it as an error. But that’s not our argument. The focal point of this flip-flop is that it only amplified the deep crisis that lay within the coalition while every possible attempt is made to mask it.
If the first circular directed all bureaucrats to “divert” government correspondence, files and official business to the office of Power Minister Nilesh Cabral, the second circular clarified that the first communication was with regard to only the portfolios held by the power minister.
The circular literally unnerved senior members of the coalition, including PWD Minister Sudin Dhavalikar, TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai and Health Minister Vishawjit Rane. There’s an underlying message that they are not going to take things lying down. For all the bravado about Manohar Parrikar’s leadership even in extreme health conditions, and the confidence the allies showed in BJP in zeroing down on a successor, this circular has given a new dimension to the tale. The strong undercurrents only go to show that the leadership crisis is still alive and can rattle the government if it remains unresolved.
The circular was issued with the approval of the chief secretary, which obviously means that the chief minister was in the loop. If this was a discreet move to test the waters, then the State administration by now should be convinced on what lies in store. And with this, any assurances of the government lasting its full term appear to be only a theoretical proposition.
Whichever way one looks at both the circulars, there is one string in common: that Cabral is placed as a ‘power centre’. The commonly followed practice in all departments is that crucial files which have major financial implications and sensitive documents are moved to the respective ministers while other files being handled by respective officers. In this case, all files and communication of his departments will be routed to the minister, virtually reducing the senior level officers in the department to clerks.
If we are to believe that Cabral seeks to go to the root of his department with this exercise, as projected last month, then this is certainly not the way. On the contrary this move will only raise more fingers of suspicion at a system which is deeply corroded with corruption at every level. Political appeasement works in strange ways in Goa and we wonder if this is Cabral’s way to accommodate his men.
There seems to be nothing going right for the administration, not even the circulars. But for Cabral, it’s power play!
