THE GOAN NETWORK
PANAJI
The Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday ruled out Cabinet reshuffle in the State stating that the Central leadership is currently busy with the government formation in Maharashtra.
Sawant’s sudden visit to New Delhi had triggered rumours of possible Cabinet reshuffle, which has been pending for long. “My visit is not about any political development. Everyone here is busy with Maharashtra (government formation),” he said.
Speculations of a Cabinet reshuffle to accommodate Congress defectors, along with Goa Legislative Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar have been rife in the State since the last couple of months. There were also speculations that the Cabinet reshuffle will take place after Narendra Modi takes oath as Prime Minister for the third time.
The dateline was later shifted to post Ganesh festival and later after Diwali.
In November, last year, Congress defector Aleixo Sequeira was sworn in as a minister after the then PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral resigned to make way for him. Since then, speculations of a Cabinet reshuffle to accommodate more Congress defectors like former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, MLA Michael Lobo and MLA Sankalp Amonkar, have been rife.
Except for Kamat and Lobo, the BJP government has given key positions to six other defectors in various corporations; however, Sankalp Amonkar has not taken charge of his position and is eyeing a Cabinet berth.
