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BJP playing fraud on the Constitution in Goa, says Congress
Congress’ chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, who is on a visit to the state, accused “unknown and unseen faces who are not elected by the people of Goa” of usurping power in the name of Manohar Parrikar “to ensure a crippled administration and a paralysed governance.”
The Congress on Saturday said it would take up the “fraud on the constitution” being played out by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Goa during the upcoming winter session of the Parliament.
Congress’ chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, who is on a visit to the state, accused “unknown and unseen faces who are not elected by the people of Goa” of usurping power in the name of Manohar Parrikar “to ensure a crippled administration and a paralysed governance.”
The latest Congress broadside came on a day the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, a crucial ally of the BJP government, issued yet another ultimatum to the BJP to replace the ailing Parrikar else they will be forced to withdraw support to the government.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah are holding the progress, the constitutional government and the democratic setup of Goa to ransom by running it through faceless shenanigans,” Surjewala said.
“If necessary we will move the president of India. We will also raise the issue inside the Parliament in the forthcoming winter session. Goa is the most classic case of fraud being played on the constitution of India by the governor and the BJP government,” he said.
Besides the Congress, the BJP’s own alliance partner, the MGP, demanded that the chief minister’s charge be handed over to senior minister and MGP minister Ramkrishna “Sudin” Dhavalikar
“The central committee of the party has resolved to urge the government to find a replacement for Parrikar, who is ill, at the earliest. Because of his illness, the administration has been paralysed for eight months. He should hand over charge to someone else as soon as possible,” MGP president Deepak the brother of Sudin, told reporters after a meeting of the MGP committee held in the capital city Saturday.
The BJP in alliance with the Goa Forward Party and the MGP besides three independents continues to hold a majority in the Goa assembly. Despite initially exploring options for an alternative leadership and considering the names of speaker Pramod Sawant, health minister Vishwajit Rane and state party president Vinay Tendulkar, the BJP central leadership has backed away from replacing Manohar Parrikar who continues to be unable to discharge his duties as chief minister.
The ailing Parrikar has not left the confines of his home at Panaji’s Dona Paula locality but has held official meetings at his residence to prove that the administration is running.
But with the allies’ patience running out, the BJP could be forced into a decision.
