the goan I network
MARGAO
Asserting that BJP leader Michael Lobo is Goa Forward Party’s naturally ally and the three Goa Forward Ministers have a soft corner toward the deputy Speaker, Goa Forward chief and Deputy Chief Minister Vijai Sardesai on Saturday set to rest speculations that party Minister Vinoda Palienkar will soon make way for Lobo in the Cabinet.
He went a step further to remind all and sundry that the Goa Forward party is part of the NDA, making it clear that the regional party will only discuss issues concerning coalition with the BJP high command.
While ruling out any possibility of Palienkar stepped down from office, Sardesai, however, said he has no idea whether any other minister will be dropped from the Cabinet to accommodate any BJP MLA.
“This is one matter which cannot be decided by selectively leaking the news to media. We are allies of the NDA. We will talk only to the BJP high command. There’s been no discussion on Palienkar and Lobo at all. I am in touch with BJP national president Amit Shah and let me make clear no decision of any sort has been taken”, he asserted, while ruling out the possibility of anyone being dropped
and inducted in the Cabinet before the Assembly session.
He recalled how the coalition government was formed post-2017 Assembly election, adding that the situation has not changed dramatically to warrant any changes in the coalition. “Certain situation post-2017 election had made us to come together to form the coalition government under Manohar Parrikar. But, let me make clear that it was not only Parrikar who was involved in the government formation then. Even at that time, BJP central leaders talked to us to form the government. No doubt, Parrikar was also a party to the discussions because he hailed from Goa, but the BJP high command was closely associated with the talks that paved way to the formation of the coalition government”, he added.
When the media sought to know whether all the three Goa Forward party Ministers will be part of the coalition government till the end of the current term, Sardesai shot back “why do you ask a question about something of the future. All I can say now is that all the three Goa Forward party Ministers are part of the coalition government”.
Publicly conceding that deputy Speaker Michael Lobo is the natural ally of Goa Forward, Sardesai said, “We have a soft corner for Lobo. We wish him well and we will always think good of him”.
When asked whether he would like to see Michael in the state Cabinet, he shot back “I would like to see Lobo at many places. We do not think bad of him. But, that does not mean Palienkar has to step down to make way for Lobo”.
