PANJIM: Ruling out any attempt to push for a leadership change in the coalition at this stage, MGP leader and PWD Minister Ramakrishna (Sudin) Dhavalikar said that if there had been a major issue related to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s health, they would have thought of a change.
Responding to media questions on whether his party will go in for new leader due to Parrikar’s health, Dhavalikar said, “I don’t want to speak on this. These are useless things. We have formed the government with Manohar Parrikar as a leader.”
He added, “If there was any major issue related to his health, then we might have thought, but at present there is no thinking on those lines.”
Dhavalikar went further and said, “We have chosen Manohar Parrikar as our leader. He is right now taking medical treatment in USA, that is why at this stage questions raised have meaning. No one should comment on this issue.” Parrikar left for USA early Thursday morning and is expected to be back on September 8.
Asked why Parrikar did not re-constitute the Cabinet Advisory Committee (CAC), Dhavalikar said, “He (chief minister) has gone to the USA only for eight days and there was no need to form CAC.”
Dhavalikar, along with Ministers Francis D’Souza and Vijai Sardesai was part of three-member CAC, which was constituted by the Chief Minister, before he left for USA on March 10, which was his first long visit.
“Parrikar has gone for eight days. The developmental works are going on at their own pace in the State. Our government is working in a proper direction,” he commented.
Dhavalikar said there is no collapse of State Administration. “Each minister, their Secretaries and Directors look after the State Administration. Each minister should look after his own department and we have an efficient State Chief Secretary. Our bureaucrats perform very well,” he said.
The MGP leader also said that though two ministers – Pandurang Madkaikar and Francis D’Souza – remaining hospitalised, the working of the departments has not been affected.
“State Chief Secretary is empowered to work for all departments. If anyone thinks that this administration is not proper and they have any issue, then they can come to me or go to Vijai Sardesai or Vishwajit Rane or Rohan Khaunte. We are available for the people,” he said.
