WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: Just a few hours after electing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislative party leader, all is not well in the party camp as some MLAs jostling for ministerial berths are not happy with the MGP’s proposed induction into the cabinet.
Soon after meeting the Governor and staking claim to form the government, some BJP MLAs drove to a starred hotel in the capital city and decided to oppose the induction of former deputy Chief Minister Sudin Dhavalikar into the cabinet.
Nearly all the MLAs also reached the Chief Minister’s official residence, Altinho on Monday night and are learnt to have expressed their displeasure over the decision to accommodate MGP in the ministry.
Sources said these MLAs are not content with BJP’s move to accept MGP’s letter of support. One of the reasons is that the MGP MLA will be accommodated in the cabinet that in turn will snatch one of aspirants’ chances to join their rest to-be cabinet colleagues.
However, none, including Subhash Shirodkar, Nilesh Cabral and few others spoke to the media on the subject.
The BJP leadership is trying to tackle resentment among its MLAs, mostly aspirants for cabinet berths, who are still opposed to the induction of MGP leader in the cabinet.
All eyes are now glued on 12 cabinet berths, including that of the Chief Minister, as one berth would be allocated to the MGP.
Sawant is likely to be sworn-in as Chief Minister for the second time on Wednesday morning but a tussle had started for Cabinet berths in the State.
With the BJP falling short of a simple majority, the party has sought the support of MGP and independent MLAs for formation of the government and there are possibilities of accommodating one MGP and two independents as Ministers.
A few party leaders are not in support of MGP’s possible induction in the government where BJP is leading with 50 per cent of total seats.
On the other hand, the MGP leaders have claimed that they were approached by the BJP Central leaders for its support in the government formation.
It is almost confirmed that Dhavalikar and Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco and Dr Chandrakant Shetye would be inducted in the Cabinet. Former Chief Minister Ravi Naik and former Ministers Subhash Shirodkar, Mauvin Godinho, Babush Monserrate, Vishwajit Rane, Rohan Khaunte and Nilesh Cabral are strong contenders for cabinet berths in the Sawant government.
For remaining one berth, there are at least four claimants and it now remains to be seen how the BJP leaders would pacify these claimants.
