PANJIM: Notwithstanding the resentment within the BJP, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday re-allocated portfolios to his Council of MInisters.
As per the notification issued by the General Administration Department, Dy Chief Minister Vijai Sardesai gets Forest while Cabral gets hold of environment. Transport, which was earlier with Ramkrishna (Sudin) Dhavalikar, has been given to Mauvin Godinho alongwith Legislative Affairs.
The prized portfolio of Industries and Law has been alloted to Vishwajit Rane, who was one of the contenders for the CM’s post after demise of former CM Manohar Parrikar. Milind Naik, has been given River Navigation as an additional portfolio.
Deputy Chief Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar has been given Official Language and Public Grievances in addition to his existing portfolios of Tourism and Sports. Revenue Minister Rohan Khuante has been given Planning, Statistics and Evaluation in addition to IT, Revenue and Labour that he held earlier
On the other hand, Pawaskar, after scoring big on PWD, has now got Handicrafts, Textile and Coir. Jayesh Salgaocar has got the additional portfolio of Museum while Vinod Paliencar has missed out on the reallocation as he has not been granted any additional portfolio apart from his earlier WRD, Fisheries and Legal Metrology.
Sources reveal that BJP Ministers Cabral and Godinho had expressed
displeasure over the reallocation of portfolios. On the other hand, Ajgaonkar and Pawaskar, who had merged the MGP legislative wing with BJP just ahead of Lok Sabha polls, are also disappointed over the treatment meted out to them while allocating the portfolios.
Sources close to both the said they are upset over departments allocated to them. “Ajgaonkar says he worked overnight to ensure BJP candidate Dayanand Sopte victory in Mandrem and Subhash Shirodkar in Shiroda. Even Pawaskar got huge lead to BJP South Goa candidate Narendra Sawaikar,” sources said.
