Parrikar calls Goa alliance partners for meeting at AIIMS

PANAJI: In yet another attempt to arrive at a ‘permanent solution’ to the current political impasse in Goa, chief minister Manohar Parrikar, has called cabinet colleagues including alliance partners for a meeting to be held at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on October 12 and 13 where he is currently undergoing treatment.

“This is not an official cabinet meeting, but I can confirm that I have been called,” said Govind Gaude, an independent legislator and minister in the Parrikar cabinet.

Sources in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), familiar with the matter, said the chief minister will decide on redistribution of portfolios.

“The chief minister has called cabinet ministers. He will take a final decision on all issues,” Goa BJP president Vinay Tendulkar said.

Parrikar, who earlier promised he would redistribute portfolios, given his inability to discharge duties, postponed the decision in view of squabbling among allies.

Key portfolios like home, finance, mining and environment are with Parrikar.

The chief minister dropped two ailing ministers from his cabinet - Francis D’souza and Pandurang Madkaikar on September 24. He inducted two oth- ers, Nilesh Cabral and Milind Naik, a move that caused disquiet within the ruling BJP.

Deputy speaker and Calangute MLA Michael Lobo in a letter to the chief minister last Friday, criticised his own government for keeping files pending. The party said it would ask Lobo to explain his outburst.

The Congress, who met the Goa governor Mridula Sinha on Wednesday, said that there was no government in Goa. “The government is saying that the CM is well, but if that was the case, why is there no government in Goa? Why is law and order going bad, why is corruption on the rise?” leader of opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar asked.