UMESH ZARMEKAR
MAPUSA
Stating that resentment is brewing among the people of Bardez and Pernem talukas because of the present political scenario, former deputy chief minister Dayanand Narvekar on Thursday said assembly elections would be inevitable along with the Lok Sabha election and advised political parties to be prepared for mid-term polls in the State.
“Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar is ill and can’t speak or meet people or even the MLAs. In a democracy, the government is elected by the people and if the Chief Minister is unable to function, the question arises as to who is running the government,” questioned Narvekar, while speaking to The Goan.
“If the CM is seriously ill, he should appoint a deputy chief minister or make arrangements to run the administration by distributing portfolios to his ministers. Parrikar has 34 portfolios with him, while other ministers have only two or three portfolios. It is, therefore, quite clear that the CM has no faith in his minsters,” Narvekar said.
“In my opinion, the ministers and MLAs should exert pressure on party bosses to replace the CM or at least, they must try to have a Deputy CM. Given its present condition, the State government is in the ICU,” Narvekar added.
Commenting on his former association with the Congress, Narvekar said he had resigned from the Congress party in 2012.
“I lost the election in Aldona constituency because of the Calvim bridge tragedy when six persons, including four students, lost their life. In fact, at that time there was a tussle between the PWD and GSIDC on the question of construction of the Calvim bridge and the work was pending for almost four years,”he informed.
“There were vested interests who sought my defeat. In the 2017 assembly election, I had sought the Congress party ticket from Porvorim, but it was denied and my detractors worked for an independent candidate. Had I been given the Congress ticket, we could have won Porvorim and Congress could have formed the government,” Narvekar said.
Asked if he would contest the next assembly election under a party ticket or as an independent, Narvekar replied: “I will not contest as an independent. There are a lot of options for me.”
