the goan I network
PANAJI
Suspense over the continuation of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar got prolonged on Wednesday as the scheduled meeting to decide on the issue with BJP national president, Amit Shah, could not be held till late night with the latter stuck in poll-bound Chhattisgarh.
Shah, who is touring Chhattisgarh has not returned to Delhi. The meeting will take place either later tonight or tomorrow morning,” MGP leader and PWD Minister, Sudin Dhavlikar told The Goan from Delhi.
Dhavlikar said he and TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai, who heads the Goa Forward Party, besides Health Minister Vishwajit Rane are all in Delhi to attend the meeting with Shah.
Rane, who has catupulted himself into a leadership role in the State BJP by orchestrating and claiming credit for the two Congress MLAs - Subhash Shirodkar and Dayanand Sopte - quitting their membership of the House and joining the saffron party told The Goan the meeting will now be held on Thursday.
The heroics, however, may not immediately earn the Valpoi MLA the leadership of the government immediately although he has seemingly established his credentials and rapport with the saffron party’s central leadership, especially Shah.
Top BJP sources said, the party has put off its plan and is in no hurry to ask Parrikar to resign and make way for a successor.
Instead, the leadership has fallen back on the proposal to have Parrikar continue in the Chief Minister’s chair and appoint a Deputy Chief Minister to take charge and spur the wheels of governance, a mantle which could fall on Vishwajit’s shoulders, the sources said.
Rajya Sabha MP Vinay Tendulkar, who heads the BJP state unit said the government will continue under the leadership of Manohar Parrikar.
“Parrikar’s health is improving and within two days he will start working,” Tendulkar told the media after a stormy meeting of the State Executive.
“There is no question of change in leadership in Goa and BJP is not thinking of any alternative’, Tendulkar said, adding that Parrikar spoke to Sardesai and Dhavlikar on Wednesday before the leaders of the two regional parties supporting the government left for Delhi.
“He will also be meeting the new members of party, Sopte and Shirodkar to give his ‘ashirwad’,” Tendulkar said.
Meanwhile, the beleagured Congress party has raised its guard to protect its flock which is being targeted to ensure more defections from the BJP.
Congress sources said, former chief minister Digambar Kamat has taken the onus of protecting the flock from further poaching and tackling the numbers power-play facing the party in the current, political fluidity.
All the fourteen Congress MLAs are together and locations are being changed frequently, the source added.
ACCORDING TO TOP SOURCES IN PARTY
The party has put off its plan and is in no hurry to ask Parrikar to resign and make way for a successor
Instead, the leadership has fallen back on the proposal to have Parrikar continue in the Chief Minister’s chair
May appoint a Dy CM to take charge and spur the wheels of governance, a mantle which could fall on Vishwajit’s shoulders
PARRIKAR STILL
THE CAPTAIN
Vinay Tendulkar, who heads the BJP state unit said the government will continue under the leadership of Manohar Parrikar
CONG RAISES GUARD
Digambar Kamat has taken the onus of protecting the flock from further poaching
>> All the 14 Congress MLAs are together and locations are being changed frequently
