PANJIM: A day after Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar surprised all by getting back to work at the Secretariat, the Congress party continued to demand change in leadership citing dire straits of affairs of the State. It has sought ‘any senior leader’ or Union AYUSH Minister Shripad Naik be given the charge of Goa Chief Minister.
Party spokesperson Siddhanath Buyao said “The CM is ill despite which the BJP is making all efforts to show that he is working and visiting the office. Is this a publicity stunt? Do the BJP have no leader? Bring Shripad Naik as CM.”
Asked whether the Congress backs Naik as the next CM, Buyao said it is either him or any senior leader. “Let the BJP continue to run the government. We have no problem but don’t trouble the Goans because the state of affairs in Goa is deteriorating”, he stated.
In the wake of the fresh expose on Rafale deal, the party has taken a dig at the BJP that CM Parrikar is blackmailing the national BJP leaders to retain his chair in Goa. “We still hope that BJP will change its CM and things will fall in place”, Buyao added.
On CM resuming work from office, Buyao claimed that no work was carried out. “No files were signed,” he stated, a day after BJP claimed that CM signed files, held meeting with the ministers, legislators and the bureaucrats, and has called for a cabinet meeting next week.
Commenting on the drop in tourists in the first half of the tourist season, the Congress has slammed Tourism Minister Manohar Azgaonkar claiming he cared little about Goa Tourism. Buyao stated that the minister was busy touring the world but has no time to hold meeting with the stakeholders on improving the tourism in the State and ensure increase in footfalls.
