TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: With Salcete going unrepresented in the new BJP-led government and with Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar likely to fill up the remaining two slots by next week, outgoing Fisheries Minister Avertano Furtado and Goa Vikas Party are likely to vie for the one slot likely to be allotted to Salcete during the Cabinet expansion.
While Avertano said he is quite hopeful that he would find a place in the Parsekar Cabinet, the Goa Vikas Party supremo sounded positive that the BJP leadership will not ignore his claim for a ministerial berth.
Both Avertano and Mickky are believed to have met outgoing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and lobbied for a berth in the Parsekar Ministry. “I am positive that I will be inducted in the Parsekar Cabinet at the time of expansion next week. I spoke to the outgoing Chief Minister, who said my induction could not take place today because of my Independent status. I am confident that I would be inducted in the Ministry,” Avertano said.
The Navelim MLA returned home on Saturday evening with friend and Velim MLA Benjamin D’Silva. Since he cannot use the red beacon official vehicle, Avertano was spotted riding his Bullet motorcycle in the village later in the evening, indicating that he has taken the omission in his stride, but now looks forward for a berth next week. “The development has not bothered me. I have taken it in my stride. But I am confident that I will be inducted in the Cabinet next week’, he said.
The GVP supremo, on the other hand, said he is not at all disappointed with his long standing claim for a berth not finding favour with the new BJP government. “Mickky thinks positive and I am not disappointed at all. I have spoken to the outgoing Chief Minister and I am positive. My claim for a ministerial berth is on the right track”, Mickky said.
Leave along a ministerial berth, Mickky said that he is impressed by the development work done in his Nuvem constituency by the BJP government. “When I get the respect and my work done, what else you want. On one call, even officials attend to the grievances of my constituency,” he said.
Mickky’s camp claimed that the GVP supremo was promised a berth if he managed to give the BJP the crucial votes in the Lok Sabha poll. “Mickky’s work for the BJP not only helped the party cross 5000-odd votes in Nuvem, but it had helped the BJP to gain sizeable votes in the remaining constituencies of Salcete”, Mickky claimed, apparently reminding the BJP bosses of his work for the party in the Lok Sabha poll.
