Team Herald
PANJIM: Amidst growing calls for Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s resignation, alliance partner and TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai claimed that the Chief Minister had shown willingness to step down but the decision is not in his hands.
“I have always said there has been some sought of impact of CM’s absence on administration and that is showing now,” Sardesai said on the sidelines of a private function.
Sardesai said that the CM was willing to distribute all the portfolios when he was admitted in Dukle’s Hospital in Candolim in September.
“He was inclined to distribute portfolios at Dukle’s but after that different things happened and the BJP high command stepped in. The CM had even shown willingness to resign. He wanted to give up the chief minister’s post altogether. He had even assured us,” Sardesai said.
However, Sardesai said, “The decision is not entirely in his hands. People are now making statements out of anxiety.”
On Rohan Khaunte’s mark of protest and outburst against functioning of the administration, Sardesai said, the minister had raised an alarm on a legitimate issue. “Raising an alarm is his duty and I am told now corrective measures have begun as Chief Secretary has called upon the bureaucrats and is issuing orders,” he said.
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‘I don’t understand why Congress loss pained MGP’
Not shying away from making a strong statement against the alliance partners, Goa Forward Party president Vijai Sardesai said he fails to understand why MGP has gone to the court over an issue which doesn’t affect them. “It is a matter between two components of alliance government and therefore at the onset we (Goa Forward) are not concerned about it,” he said. But, he added, MGP’s move to go to the court, over the resignations of two Congress MLAs, is rather surprising as the party has shown pain for Congress’ loss. “Therefore I feel it could be a pre-emptive move as they have not lost anything. Congress has lost two MLAs but has not gone to court. And one has to understand the MLAs have voluntarily resigned,” he stated. He added, “I don’t know why it pained them so much. Maybe they expect something in their camp.” He said that if cleansing politics is the motto than it is an honourable move but by and large the move is surprising. “As far as government stability is concerned, what MGP does will not impact the government, but what Sudin Dhavalikar does impacts the government,” he said.
