PANJIM: Goa’s 12-member cabinet has two ministers who are not MLAs – Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and Vishwajit Rane. This is the first time that the State has such as situation.
Parrikar resigned as the country’s Defence Minister to be Goa CM in a bid to give a stable coalition government, while Vishwajit Rane quit from the Congress and as MLA to join BJP.
Responding to Herald on this unique situation, Parrikar’s said, “We will soon have by-polls.”
The BJP defended the situation saying that the Indian Constitution allows by-polls. “The Constitution allows a politician to be inducted into a cabinet and to contest from a constituency within six months. There is nothing illegal here,” party General Secretary Sadanand Tanawde told Herald.
Goa’s political history reveals that this is the second time – after a gap of over 50 years – that the State has a CM who is not an elected member of the Legislative Assembly. After Goa’s Liberation, Dayanand Bandodkar – fondly called as Bhausaheb – became CM after the first elections held in 1963. He was not a member of the Assembly when he was sworn-in but contested from Madkaim and was elected within six months. He quit on December 2, 1966 before the Opinion Poll and was re-elected in 1967 to head the liberated Union Territory’s second government.
While Rane’s resignation will lead to a by-poll in Valpoi, the constituency from where Parrikar will contest is yet to be decided. There is speculation that he may contest from the otherwise Congress-dominated Valpoi, while Vishwajit will contest from Poriem, the seat currently held by his father Pratapsingh Rane. It is reliably learnt that the senior Rane, a staunch Congressman may give up his Poriem seat for his son. “The senior Rane will, however, not join BJP. He might sacrifice his seat for his son,” a senior Congress leader told Herald.
As by-polls have to be held within six months and a month has already lapsed, BJP sources said the party is trying to convince one of its MLAs to vacate for Parrikar. The carrot is that whoever sacrifices will get a direct entry into country’s upper house of Parliament – Rajya Sabha.
“Valpoi is one option for Parrikar but we are also trying for BJP-dominated places like Panjim or Mapusa. Discussions are underway. Whoever quits for Parrikar will go as Rajya Sabha MP, which means that MLA loses nothing,” a party leader said.
