Team Herald
PANJIM: Surprising everyone yet again, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has given administrative control to his Principal Secretary P Krishnamurthy during his ten-day absence from the State, during which he will visit USA for a health review. No acting Chief Minister has been appointed.
With two ministers – Francis D’Souza and Sudin Dhavalikar – who had been members of the Cabinet Advisory Committee (CAC) reporting ill, Parrikar appears to have dropped the idea of re-constituting the committee.
In the CM’s absence and with Dhavalikar also ill, Goa Forward Party (GFP) Minister Vijai Sardesai, who holds the number three position in the cabinet, should have ideally been the care-taker chief minister of the State. But considering volatile political equation between the alliance partners, BJP appears to have taken a conscious decision to leave the State headless in Parrikar’s absence. However, the saffron party denies its interference.
Sources in the government hinted that BJP is averse to giving power to Sardesai, who has witnessed exponential growth in politics with his political outfit – GFP. “Also, appointing Sardesai as acting Chief Minister, would have upset MGP, whose equations are not very good with the Sardesai-led party,” sources said, adding that the formation of a CAC was also not possible considering Dhavalikar and D’Souza’s health.
“Hence, Chief Minister decided to give charge to the Chief Secretary citing that his visit to USA is hardly ten days,” sources added.
Sardesai, who was considered as Parrikar’s arch rival in the Assembly during the last term, has grown close to the chief minister, and has become a trusted minister in the cabinet, which has not gone down well in the BJP organisational set up. “It is the prerogative of the Chief Minister to decide who will head the State in his absence. Party has no comment to make,” BJP President Vinay Tendulkar said.
MGP, it appears, is quite happy with the Chief Minister’s decision, as they unofficially feel that Parrikar is bound to respect the alliance obligations. “Chief Minister is going for a short period of one week and we don’t think that there is need to appoint any acting Chief Minister. He must have not found the necessity to do so. We have no problem with that,” MGP President Deepak Dhavalikar said.
Sources claim that GFP and MGP, though in alliance, have often crossed swords. In such a situation, Parrikar would like to ensure the government’s stability in his absence. “Bitterness between Dhavalikar and Sardesai is not hidden from anyone. Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Parrikar will definitely not like to take a risk,” sources stated. GFP President and Minister Sardesai was unavailable for comment.
Parrikar is leaving for USA early August 10 from Mumbai and is expected to be back on August 18. This will, however, depend on the doctor’s advice. During this period Parrikar will be in touch with the CMO through video conferences and emails.
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Speaker to unfurl tricolour on Independence Day
Probably for the first time since Liberation, it is the Chief Minister who will not be unfurling the National Flag on August 15, Independence Day.
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who will be in US on that day, has nominated Speaker Dr Pramod Sawant to be the Chief Guest for the Independence Day function, to be held at Old Secretariat.
As per protocol, every year it is the Chief Minister who unfurls the tricolour and addresses the gathering.
