SHWETA KAMAT
shweta@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Even as Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar walked tall inside the State Legislative Assembly to present the State Budget – surprising all – political pundits claim that the entire episode of the return was designed to calm the nerves of the coalition partners, who were beginning to get restless over the Chief Minister’s health.
There was speculation that Parrikar’s absence from Goa would lead to political instability in the State. Coalition partners were apparently locking horns behind the scene, while everything seemed ‘OK’ in public.
Giving rest to all speculation about his ill health, Parrikar landed in Goa on Thursday morning, after a week in a Mumbai hospital.
At the end of the Budget speech, the Chief Minister urged his Ministers and all MLAs, to be with him and work together for the betterment of the State, during his present health condition.
“Chief Minister’s sudden arrival in Goa, against the family wishes and advice, is a clear indication that all was not well in the government. That is the reason he came back, without even bothering about his health condition. I should appreciate him for this,” a senior BJP leader, requesting anonymity, said.
Parrikar is in his fourth term as Chief Minister and is credited for cobbling together a tricky alliance that includes regional parties MGP and Goa Forward and Independents. The alliance was formed on the condition that Parrikar would be the Chief Minister, at the time he was serving as Union Defence Minister.
“A very strong signal has emanated that the government is strong, our leader is strong and in fact he has emerged as a superman so we need not worry about the political situation and government functioning,” Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho said.
Alliance partners MGP and GFP do not feel there was any instability in the government in Parrikar’s absence.
“We had promised Parrikar to be beside him in this government. We had given him our conditional support. We cannot sublet that support or power to someone else,” GFP president and Minister Vijai Sardesai said.
“Allies have reposed faith and trust in one individual and not to the party. That individual today is having a health issue and in such situation we cannot abandon him. He is our leader today and always,” Sardesai added.
