PANJIM: Three ministers in the Laxmikant Parsekar cabinet are unhappy with Sunday’s reshuffle of portfolios, with some even threatening to step down over this.
In a sudden move, Parsekar before leaving for Delhi on Sunday, took away the Panchayat department from Dayanand Mandrekar and the Forests department from Alina Saldanha and allotted them to newly-inducted minister Rajendra Arlekar.
This hasn’t gone down well with all three ministers, and Mandrekar, being a senior minister, has slammed his government for the ‘humiliation’ and asked the party brass to ask him to step down if his performance so warranted.
“I am not happy with the way I am being targeted by my chief minister and party higher-ups. I am a senior leader and I should have been consulted before any such decision was taken,” he said.
“If they (CM) feel that I am so incapable, then let them ask me to step down from the ministerial berth. I have communicated this to the chief minister,” Mandrekar, said.
Mandrekar was allotted the Panchayat portfolio, after Parsekar was elevated as chief minister in November last year. “I have done justice to this department. After I took over this department from Parsekar, I have done a lot many things, that the former minister could not do,” he claimed.
Mandrekar also raised the question of performance audit conducted by Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and the chief minister.
Saldanha, who was once asked by the chief minister to “shut-up” on the marina issue, also seemed quite upset with the removal of the Forests portfolio.
The minister has reportedly told her supporters she is contemplating resigning from the cabinet over the issue.
However, speaking to Herald, she said, “Nothing officially has come to me regarding removal of portfolios and I will announce my action only after I get something in writing.” Asked whether she has threatened to resign, she replied, “I will let you know only tomorrow.”
While Saldanha and Mandrekar are upset over the removal of portfolios, Arlekar – who has been the beneficiary of the reshuffle – is disappointed with the portfolios allotted to him but says he has to be content.
“I wanted to be a chief minister but I have to be content with these portfolios,” Arlekar told a local news channel.
Sources told Herald that Arlekar, who was considered for the post of chief minister after Parrikar left for Delhi, was demanding the PWD or Transport portfolio but had to be content with the petty ones.
Speaking to Herald, however, Arlekar said, “Distribution of portfolios is the prerogative of the chief minister and I have nothing more to say on that.”
