PANJIM: It was a day of long knives. The open, bitter and acrimonious war-of-words between the BJP and MGP, culminated in the unexpected but significant act of Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar pulling the trigger and dropping the Dhavalikar brothers Ramkrishna (Sudin) and Pandurang (Deepak) from his council of ministers. The formal process of sacking ministers, by sending a recommendation to the Governor, since they hold office during the pleasure of the Governor, was initiated by CM Parsekar late Monday evening.
A letter, ‘recommending’, to Governor Mridula Sinha to remove PWD and Transport Minister Sudin and Factories and Boilers Minister Deepak Dhavalikar was faxed.
Speaking to Herald, Chief Minister Parsekar said, “Yes, I have recommended that Sudin and Deepak Dhavalikar be dropped from my cabinet. Though it entirely my prerogative, I have my party and I have done consultations. After completing the consultations, I have done it (recommended dropping the ministers). I will currently hold charge of their portfolios.”
Asked what the specific reasons for their dropping were, the Chief Minister told Herald, “You know very well what has been going on for the past four days. It is a public debate.” On whether he spoke to the Dhavalikar’s before recommending their removal from the government, he quipped, “I felt that was not necessary when large quantities of water have flown down the Zuari and Mandovi.”
Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza, endorsing the move told Herald, “The decision was right as you cannot go into election with such an environment where you cannot trust the alliance partners.”
The move signals the end of the BJP-MGP alliance and it is believed that the Central Committee of the party will meet in a couple of days, to withdraw support to the BJP government and announce that it will contest the elections largely on its own, perhaps with a like-minded partner like the Goa Suraksha Manch, the political arm of the BBSM. Commenting on the future of the alliance the Chief Minister said
“It is up to them. I have left that decision to them.”
In their first very late night reaction to their recommended sacking from the Parsekar cabinet, Deepak said, “BJP has crossed all the limits of wrong actions against its alliance partners. One should learn from them how to breach an agreement of alliance dharma.”
However, Ponda MGP MLA Lavoo Mamledar said that if the news was true he was very happy. “I welcome it because we have not breached the contract of alliance with BJP from our side.”
The no holds barred exchanges with both the BJP and the MGP daring each other to take the first step in breaking the alliance reached a point when they could no longer have a civilised working relationship in government, leave alone sharing a political future together.
The day began with the Chief Minister remarking, “The government is mine. If someone is not happy with my government, not satisfied, or feel that they are not respected, then they should simply write on a piece of paper and end it. If someone has any self respect, he should first resign and then speak against his own government. I am not going to sack anyone, if they are not happy, they can quit and go.”
Within hours the MGP retaliated. It’s President and Minister Deepak, said, “The Chief Minister cannot ask his cabinet ministers to resign instead he should dissolve the Assembly. When we resign, they also should resign. We had a pre-poll alliance not post-poll. We had assured the voters and people that we will be with this government for five years and that is why we have tolerated injustice from the BJP.”
Not to be left out of the churning political cauldron, the Congress demanded that the State be brought under President’s rule for smooth and fair elections in 2017. “Never in the history of democratic India, has a Minister in power been seen mocking own Chief Minister and government,” said GPCC President Luizinho Faleiro. “When a cabinet Minister makes public statement even after being in power, I don’t think that there is any reason for this government to continue even for one second,” Faleiro said and demanded that Presidents Rule be imposed in Goa till fresh elections are held.
The die has now been cast. The BJP has taken a calculated risk of taking on not just the MGP but the BBSM (GSM) as well. The resultant fallout will be that the BJP will be put to its severest test with 2017 become a true referendum of its governance, in an increasingly tough battleground.
MEANWHILE, EARLIER IN THE DAY…
Go if you are unhappy, CM to Sudin
Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar lashed out at PWD Minister Ramkrishna (Sudin) Dhavalikar saying, “The government is mine. If someone is not happy with my government, not satisfied or feel that they are not respected, then they should simply write on a piece of paper and end it. Sudin being such a senior politician should know what and where one should speak.”
He added, “If someone has any self-respect, he should first resign and then speak against his own government. I am not going to sack anyone, if they are not happy, they can quit and go.”
“Sudin Dhavalikar is no one to set the agenda for me. If he feels suffocated in the State government, he should resign and go. People of Goa will decide whether I have taken them backward or forward, I don’t need certification from Sudin,” the Chief Minister said.
Parsekar accused MGP of (kind of) backstabbing its alliance partners at every election. He said, “MGP leaders want to enjoy all the benefits of power till the end and hence are not quitting. They don’t stand with the alliance, they want to be with those who are in power. Earlier they enjoyed benefits under Congress for five years.”
Dissolve Assembly, MGP tells CM
MGP called on the Chief Minister to dissolve the Assembly if he advises ministers of his alliance partners to resign. MGP President Pandurang Dhavalikar said, “When we resign, they also should resign. We had a pre-poll alliance not post-poll.” He said that if it had been a post-poll alliance they would have resigned much earlier.
Luizinho demands dissolution
Supporting MGP’s demand for dissolution of the State Assembly, Congress demanded that the State be brought under President’s rule for smooth and fair elections. “Never has a Minister in power been seen mocking his own Chief Minister and government,” Congress President Luizinho Faleiro said.
“When a prominent senior cabinet minister makes a statement that all is not good in the government, one has to believe it. I am happy that finally, MGP has realised that the economic, financial, governance of Goa has totally collapsed under BJP,” Faleiro said.
“I fully agree and concur with the MGP demand to dissolve the Assembly. State should be brought under President’s Rule, so all have a level playing field in the run-up to the 2017 State elections,” Faleiro added.
