In a bid to avoid any political crisis in Goa after the Congress staked claim to form government, BJP president Amit Shah will meet the party’s leaders in Goa on Wednesday to chalk out a plan.
With Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar admitted at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi, the opposition Congress has said it is going to seek dismissal of the BJP-led government.
It is believed that BJP allies in the state have rejected a plan to have minister Sudhin Dhavalikar take charge as Deputy Chief Minister in Goa.
Amit Shah has already had a word with Goa Forward Party, one of the BJP allies in the coastal state, on Tuesday.
GFP chief Vijai Sardesai said on Tuesday BJP president Shah had called him to discuss the political situation in Goa and to “ensure stability”.
GFP, which has three MLAs, is an ally of the BJP.
“Amit Shah had called me before BJP’s national observers arrived here to take stock of the political situation. He had basically called to discuss the political situation and to ensure stability of the Manohar Parrikar government,” Sardesai told PTI.
“Shah informed me about (scheduled) visit of BJP observers. He spoke about how important allies are in the government and their role in ensuring stability,” the GFP chief said.
His party is now waiting for the BJP’s decision on the current political situation.
It is believed that GFP chief Sardesai is not happy with BJP’s call of inviting Dhavalikar, a minister from the Maharashtra Gomantak Party or MGP, to take charge as Deputy CM.
Meanwhile, the Congress legislative party formally met Goa Governor Mridula Sinha on Tuesday and urged her to convene a one-day session of Assembly to allow it to stake claim to form the new government.
Fifteen out of the 16 Congress legislative party members met Sinha for over an hour on Tuesday evening, during which they also alleged a breakdown in the constitutional machinery due to Parrikar’s ill-health, saying there was no one to lead the treasury benches or head the Cabinet.
CLP member Aleixo Reginaldo was out of station, a Congress leader said.
The BJP high command is in the process of finding an alternative leader in absence of Parrikar, even as allies are demanding a bigger role in governance, some even eyeing the CM post.
The Congress is the single-largest party in the 40-member Goa Assembly with 16 MLAs, while the BJP with 14 MLAs is supported by three members each of Goa Forward and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, a Nationalist Congress Party legislator and three independent MLAs.
(With agency inputs)