In what could be dubbed as a swift surgical strike on the Congress, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Sunday, staked claim to form a BJP-led coalition Government in Goa, with the support of MlAs from two regional parties and two Independent legislators, in addition to 13 BJP MlAs.
late on Sunday night Goa Governor Mridula Sinha appointed Parrikar as Chief Minister and asked him to prove majority within 15 days after taking oath.
Though falling short of the majority mark by some distance, the BJP saw the ‘charisma’ of its tallest leader in Goa, Parrikar helping it cobble up the requisite numbers drawing support even from an UPA ally, NCP, in the process. No wonder then that Parrikar, who always made known that his heart was in Goa, made a comeback in the coastal State as its Chief Minister.
Once Parrikar leaves, the top slot in the Defence Ministry will then have a third incumbent in the last two-and-half years. Parrikar had taken over as the Defence Minister from Arun Jaitley, who was holding it as an additional charge along with the Finance Ministry, in November 2014.
While Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre is expected to continue overseeing the day-to-day functioning of the Ministry till the time the Government announces Parrikar’s replacement, there could also be the possibility of a minor reshuffle in the Cabinet portfolios.
On a day which was packed with hectic activities with both the BJP as well as the Congress trying to gain support of MlAs from regional parties and Independent legislators, it was the BJP which came up trumps.
While the Congress is the single-largest party in the 40 member Goa Assembly with 17 MlAs, the BJP ranks second with 13 MlAs.
Parrikar, whose return to State politics has been endorsed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah, late on Sunday evening met Goa governor Dr. Mridula Sinha along with supporting MlAs and formally staked claim to form Government.
“We met the Governor and we are expecting an invitation from her. Once the invitation is received, we will consult colleagues and finalise the date for swearing in,” Parrikar told a joint Press conference with Union Minister for Roads, Transport, Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari and other supporting MlAs, after the meeting with the Governor. Sources at Raj Bhavan said, that the swearing in could be fixed for Tuesday.
Gadkari said, that Parrikar would resign from his position in the Central Cabinet as Defence Minister just before he is sworn in as Chief Minister.
The BJP has garnered the support of three MlAs each from regional parties namely the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, Goa Forward and two Independent candidates taking its alliance tally to 21, which is the magic number in the 40-member Goa Assembly.
legislative party leaders of both regional parties have insisted, that Manohar Parrikar should be Chief Minister, so have the BJP’s newly elected MlAs, who earlier on Sunday faxed a letter to BJP national president Amit Shah seeking the return of Parrikar to Goa, as CM.
“This was a mandate given by the people. Though we fell short of majority, but with this support we could complete the figure of 21,” Parrikar said.
Gadkari said that only the BJP could provide a stable Government in Goa.
“We will form a stable Government under Manohar Parrikar. Our party president Amit Shah and Narendra Modi have congratulated supporting parties,” Gadkari said, adding that all contentious issues raised by the supporting MlAs had been sorted out in a series of meetings which were held since 1 am on Sunday.
“We wanted to clear issues for long term. All should work together,” Gadkari said.
Meanwhile, the Congress was left gaping at the BJP’s swift moves. In fact it was the Congress as the single largest party, which was poised to stake claim to form Government on Sunday evening, but till late on Sunday, the elected MlAs of the party were unable to finalise on a legislative Party leader.
The Congress has however attacked the BJP claiming it was indulging in horse-trading and trying to forcefully snatch a mandate given to the Congress.
“BJP always claimed to be party of moral and character. Is this the moral or character of a party which is horse-trading promising corporations, Ministries like they are distributing sweetsIJ We strongly condemn any effort of the BJP, particularly Mr. Manohar Parrikar to even think of staking claim to form Government,” All India Congress Committee general secretary Digvijaya Singh told The Pioneer.