NEW DELHI: With Goa CM Manohar Parrikar indisposed, the BJP is growing wary of the Congress doing a Karnataka encore to wrest power in the state. Amid indications that an alternative from within the BJP may not be acceptable to allies, the saffron outfit is keen to prolong Parrikar’s stay as Chief Minister of the state.
The BJP’s organisational secretary Ram Lal who was sent to Panaji by party chief Amit Shah as central observer, exuded confidence that the ruling alliance in the state was stable. Emerging out of a meeting of the BJP and alliance partners in Panjai, Lal told reporters that there was no demand for change in leadership of the state.
However, the Congress has reached out to Governor Mridula Sinha to stake a claim for government formation on the issue that the NDA government in the state has become unstable. Within the BJP there appears a sense that the party led government doesn’t have the option to recommend dissolution of the state Assembly.
“The situation continues to be fragile in the state. Parrikar is indisposed and he may require prolonged hospitalisation. It’s not easy to find his replacement since allies aren’t amenable to accept anyone from within the party in the chief minister’s chair,” said a senior BJP functionary.
The BJP is seemingly wary that the Congress may offer the chief minister’s post on the lines of Karnataka to one of the NDA allies to topple the state government.
Lal told reporters that the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and the Goa Forward Party were with the BJP and would abide by the decision of the leadership. He added that there was no demand from any of the legislators for change in leadership of the government.