Haste In Cabinet Expansion Could Have Been Avoided: Goa Forward Party

Panaji: The Goa Forward Party, an ally of the ruling coalition led by the BJP, said on Tuesday that the haste with which the cabinet expansion was done on Monday by inducting two ministers could have been avoided by the state government.

GFP President Vijai Sardesai told PTI that the inductions could have been done in a better way by taking everyone on board.

Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is currently admitted at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi, had dropped two ailing ministers Francis D’ Souza and Pandurang Madkaikar, replacing them with Milind Naik and Nilesh Cabral.

The swearing-in ceremony was held on Monday at Raj Bhavan. Governor Mridula Sinha administered oath to both the ministers.

“The cabinet expansion…the manner and the speed in which it was done, could have been avoided,” MrSardesai said.

“It could have been done in a better way. It should have been done by taking everyone on board,” he said, adding that it has ruffled some feathers.

“I have nothing against the newly inducted ministers. It is an internal issue of the BJP, we have no right to discuss that but in politics one should ensure that any political move, which hurts people and results in bad blood, should be avoided,” Mr Sardesai, agriculture minister in Manohar Parrikar-led cabinet said

“There are people who are aggrieved… No step should be taken which makes people aggrieved and capable of rocking the boat,” he said.

Hours after two ministers were inducted, Independent MLA Prasad Gaonkar, who is supporting the Manohar Parrikar-led government, tendered his resignation as Chairman of the state-run Goa Forest Development Corporation.

Mr Gaonkar said Tuesday evening that the government has come to a standstill.