Manohar Parrikar Should Give Up Charge In A Month, Says BJP Ally In Goa

Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), an ally of the ruling BJP in Goa, on Wednesday demanded that the ailing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar give up his charge within a month, failing which it will take "further decision."

MGP President Dipak Dhavalikar said the patience of the people is running out and they want some solution to the "current crisis" caused by the illness of Mr Parrikar.

Mr Parrikar, 62, has been unwell for the last few months. He is currently recuperating at his home here after his discharge from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi.

Mr Dhavalikar said the people of the state have been about the "collapsed administration" due to long absence of the chief minister.

"Since he (Parrikar) is recuperating at home, he should hand over the charge to any of the senior ministers till he recovers," the leader of MGP said.

MGP, with 3 MLAs, is supporting the 14-member BJP, in the 40-member Goa Assembly.

The Parrikar-led government is also being supported by three-member Goa Forward Party, three Independents and an NCP legislator.

Dhavalikar said, "Every day, we have to pacify people who come to our doorstep, complaining about collapse of the administration. What shall we tell them?"

He said his party will have to take "further decision" if charge is not handed over to any senior minister by Parrikar within a month.

"We will wait for a month for the chief minister to hand over the charge... The partys Central Committee will meet and discuss the situation before taking any further decision," he said.

Mr Dhavalikar also said that his party is contemplating moving the Goa Bench of Bombay High Court against "frequent" mid-term switchover by MLAs from one party to another.

"We will plead that the law should be enacted wherein it should be illegal for any MLA to switch over to any other party mid-term. The frequent by-elections are straining government resources, which is the money of tax payers, he said.

He was apparently referring to the recent development of two Congress MLAs quitting their membership of the Assembly and joining the BJP.

The Congress had emerged as the single-largest party in the fractured verdict thrown up in the Assembly election in March last year.

However, it had failed to form the government as it could not muster the required majority.