TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: After a stellar performance by the BJP in the just concluded Lok Sabha elections and comfortably crossing the magic 272 figure on its own, Goans have something to look forward to with the possibility of a ministerial berth for Shripad Naik.
Naik who has held the civil aviation portfolio and several others, is a four-time MP while giant killer Narendra Sawaikar is rookie.
Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar who masterminded the elections in the State said it was the prerogative of the Prime Minister to choose his Cabinet. He, however, felt Shripad would be given a ministerial berth, adding there was no need to ‘ask’ as Modi was pro-Goa and Goa had been lucky for him every time.
It may be recalled that it was during the National Executive meeting in Goa that Modi was given charge of BJP’s Lok Sabha campaign despite opposition from within the party.
Shripad has the experience of handling four to five portfolios in the capacity of the Union minister for State in the then Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. In his own statements to the media, he reportedly said Goa was kept out of the Union Cabinet by the outgoing UPA government during last ten years.
“In fact, a survey regarding performance of all 543 MPs in the 15th Lok Sabha, carried out just before the elections had placed me at the 11th position, which says it all,” he was quoted as saying.
Parrikar had earlier accused the Congress of depriving the State its due representation in the Union Cabinet by not giving a berth
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to any of its MPs. The only MP that represented Goa was Eduardo Faleiro even though there was almost continuous representation of Congress in Parliament.
“When BJP comes to power, we will have ministerial berth for the State,” Parrikar had told media then claiming that one of BJP MPs from the State would be awarded a Cabinet berth.
