Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has been in and out of hospitals for treatment in the last few months
As Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has been in and out of hospitals for treatment in the last few months, the Congress has alleged that the administration had "collapsed" and today staked claim to form the government. While the BJP has maintained that the alliance government in the coastal state is stable and no demand has been made for change in leadership, the Goa Congress demanded that the BJP-led state government be dismissed.
The Congress, which has 16 members in the 40-member state Assembly, submitted a memorandum to the Governor Mridula Sinha, urging her not to dissolve the Assembly and instead invite the Congress to form the government, Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar said.
He added that the state is not in a position to face another election within one-and-half year as that would mean stress on the state exchequer.
The Congress move comes after a BJP central team met former Goa party lawmakers earlier. After the meet, senior BJP leader Ram Lal said that the allies have reiterated their support to the BJP.
Mr Parrikar's worsening health has subjected the BJP to attacks from the Congress which had won more seats but failed to stitch an alliance with enough numbers in the assembly.
Mr Parrikar, 62, who is suffering from a pancreatic ailment, was admitted to the AIIMS on Saturday. He had undergone a three-month-long treatment in the United States earlier this year. Some other ministers in his cabinet have also been keeping unwell. Urban Development Minister Francis D'Souza is currently undergoing treatment in New York and Power Minister Pandurang Madkaikar suffered a brainstroke a few months back.
Here are the LIVE Updates on the situation in Goa, over Manohar Parrikar's health:
Thanking Manohar Parrikar for tweeting birthday wishes, Prime Minister Narendra Modi late on Monday tweeted back, saying "the entire nation is praying" for the Goa CM's good health.
"Thank you @manoharparrikar Ji for the wishes. The entire nation is praying for your good health," PM Modi tweeted.
A day after staking claim to form the new government in Goa, the opposition Congress on Tuesday said that it was right in doing so as the Manohar Parrikar-led coalition government was "already in a minority".
"The BJP-led coalition government is in a minority. We have asked for an appointment with the Governor. We have the right to stake claim to form the government," Goa Congress legislative party spokesperson Aleixo Reginaldo told reporters here.
Read Here: Manohar Parrikar Health, Goa Government: As Congress Makes First Move In Goa, Amit Shah Steps In: 10 PointsBJP president Amit Shah has stepped in to handle a potential crisis for the party's government in Goa, where the Congress has staked claim to power at a time Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar is in hospital. Amit Shah dialed ally Goa Forward's Vijay Sardesai, a minister in the BJP-led government, after allies rejected a plan to have minister Sudhin Dhavalikar take charge as deputy Chief Minister in the absence of Mr Parrikar, who was admitted to the AIIMS hospital in Delhi on Saturday.
A series of meetings chaired by BJP's National General Secretary (organisation) Ram Lal and his associates BL Santosh and Vijay Puranik, were held on Monday.
On Sunday, Ram Lal and his team had met sitting Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs and allied legislators to chart out a political roadmap following Manohar Parrikar's hospitalisation at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi last week for treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer.
Before the meetings on Monday, Ram Lal played down the leadership change issue insisting that the party was only discussing its preparations for the Lok Sabha polls.
A BJP central team had on Monday met former Goa party lawmakers after little headway was made over an alternative leadership in the absence of ailing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.
Manohar Parrikar, 62, who is suffering from a pancreatic ailment, was admitted to the AIIMS on Saturday. He had undergone a three-month-long treatment in the United States earlier this year. Some other ministers in his cabinet have also been keeping unwell.
Urban Development Minister Francis D'Souza is currently undergoing treatment in New York and Power Minister Pandurang Madkaikar suffered a brainstroke a few months back.
Manohar Parrikar's worsening health has subjected the BJP to attacks from the Congress which had won more seats but failed to stitch an alliance with enough numbers in the assembly. The BJP managed support of smaller parties -- the Goa Forward Party (GFP), the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and three independents -- and formed the government.
Read Here: Manohar Parrikar In AIIMS, Congress Stakes Claim To Form Government In GoaAs Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has been in and out of hospitals for treatment in the last few months, the Congress has alleged that the administration had "collapsed" and today staked claim to form the government. While the BJP has maintained that the alliance government in the coastal state is stable and no demand has been made for change in leadership, the Goa Congress demanded that the BJP-led state government be dismissed.