PANAJI
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has played a deft political card dishing out chairmanships and leadership roles at several State-owned corporations to political heavyweights from both within and outside of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) legislative wing just weeks ahead of the December 13 Zilla Parishad elections.
The timing of the move suggests an attempt to consolidate the ruling dispensation's political pelf and to stabilize the power play dynamics within the ruling BJP-led coalition.
The most striking appointment is that of Calangute MLA Michael Lobo as Chairman of the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC). This marks a historic shift, as with Lobo at the helm, it will be the first time since GSIDC's inception that it is headed by someone who is not the Chief Minister.
His elevation signals both a reward for loyalty and a strategic move to leverage his influence in Bardez and North Goa. It could also mean that the three-term legislator from Calangute could be out of contention for the Cabinet berth left vacant with the passing of Ravi Naik.
Mormugao MLA Sankalp Amonkar, the last among eight Congress defectors yet to be given a formal role, has finally been appointed chairman of the Sewerage Corporation, more than three years after the mass-defection which took place in September 2022.
Independent MLA Antonio Vas of Cortalim, who supports the BJP-led government has been accommodated as Chairman of the Goa Khadi and Village Industries Board (KVIB), with BJP functionary Sarvanand Bhagat as its Vice Chairman.
This pairing reflects a balancing act -- bringing in non-BJP allies while ensuring party control through key vice-chairmanships.
Former Deputy Chief Minister Chandrakant Kavlekar, now party vice-president, has been appointed Chairman of the prestigious Kala Academy, a cultural institution with symbolic and strategic value.
His return to a prominent role may help pacify the saffron party's support base among the backward communities who were reportedly feeling sidelined.
Veteran BJP leader Govind Parvatkar retains his chairmanship of the Goa Education Development Corporation (GEDC), signaling continuity and trust in experienced hands.
Meanwhile, former Mandrem MLA Dayanand Sopte will head Bal Bhavan, and Saligao MLA Kedar Naik will lead the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) a position which was vacated by Ganesh Gaonkar on his elevation as Speaker.
Former minister Dayanand Mandrekar’s appointment as Chairperson of the Goa State Scheduled Castes and Other Backward Classes Finance & Development Corporation Ltd underscores the Sawant government’s eagerness to keep the significant Bhandari Samaj politically hinged to the ruling party, especially after the passing of Ravi Naik.
Similarly, Aleixo Sequeira’s return as Chairman of the Goa Law Commission, after being dropped from the Cabinet earlier this year, reflects an effort to reintegrate sidelined leaders.
These appointments are seemingly more than administrative reshuffles. They are tactical placements aimed at ensuring internal equilibrium within the BJP and its allies.
Also, by distributing power across regions, caste groups, and political factions, Sawant appears to be fortifying his government’s base ahead of the ZP elections.
Political analysts view this as a classic pre-election strategy: reward loyalty, neutralize dissent, and energize grassroots machinery. Whether this reshuffle translates into electoral gains remains to be seen, but it certainly signals the ruling BJP is getting ready for battle mode ahead of the ZP elections and laying the contours for its strategy for the all important Assembly elections in 2027.
