the goan I network
PANAJI
The Congress party on Tuesday accused the ruling BJP of showing disdain to the Chief Minister’s chair and the constitutional post he occupies through comments that the government can run without the Chief Minister even as they have said that they will petition the president and the High Court against the current impasse.
Speaking at a press conference, GPCC President Girish Chodankar said some ministers are using the absence of the chief minister like a “lottery” and that the party would expose them.
“We had helped the BJP in their time of need in the form of agreeing to curtail the Goa Legislative Assembly, but they taking it for granted. Rather than understanding the gravity of the situation, the South Goa MP Narendra Sawaikar was heard saying that they will continue to function in the status quo manner,” Chodankar said.
“This is like a challenge to Goans. This is the level of their ‘mosti’,” Chodankar said adding that the post of the Chief Minister is a constitutional post and even if a government officer travels abroad the charge is handed to someone else in his absence.
“Rather than be apologetic about the situation the BJP is ‘doing dadagiri’ and pretending like there is no problem in the chief minister’s absence,” Chodankar added.
While admitting that the party was trying to take back the mandate of the people that was stolen, he said that the party would now increasingly agitate over the absence of the Chief Minister since they have “exhausted all democratic options” including meeting the Governor.
“The time has come to meet the President and brief him about this issue. We will also consider approaching the High Court,” Chodankar said.
When asked whether the party would move a no-confidence motion, Chodankar said that “at the right time, we will do what needs to be done.”
Chodankar added that the party would appoint its members to keep a keen eye on each department because there is “an ongoing loot in some departments” and they wanted to expose this.
“In the absence of the chief minister, some ministers think they have won a lottery. Already there is some corruption we suspect in the two bridges and procedural lapses in the Mopa airport. We will expose this and won’t hesitate to file cases if necessary,” Chodankar added.
