CM Manohar Parrikar meets allies at AIIMS, won’t give away key portfolios

PANAJI: Chief minister Manohar Parrikar indicated during his meeting with coalition partners at AIIMS in New Delhi, on Friday, that he is likely to keep major portfolios of home, finance, personnel, education and general administration.
Sources said that public works department (PWD) minister Ramkrishna Dhavalikar has shown interest in the environment portfolio, while town and country planning (TCP) minister Vijai Sardesai in the forest portfolio. The sources said that panchayats minister Mauvin Godinho seemed interested in the industries portfolio and art and culture minister Govind Gaude has pitched for the cooperation portfolio.

Cabinet ministers will get one or two additional portfolios each on or after Dussehra, sources in the BJP said. The indication was given during a meeting with coalition partners, chaired by Parrikar, to discuss the allocation of additional portfolios to cabinet ministers, which are currently being held by him. The meeting took place at AIIMS where Parrikar is being treatment for some pancreatic ailment since September 15.

The portfolios to be given out to ministers are environment and forest, industries, cooperation, mining, science and technology, fire and emergency services, elections and information and publicity. CM holds around 24 portfolios

The chief minister first met the BJP core committee and discussed about the allocation of additional portfolios. He then held individual meetings with ministers for a duration of around 20 minutes each. He also held a separate meeting with Goa Forward Party president Sardesai and MGP senior functionary Dhavalikar.

Speaking to TOI, Sardesai said that distribution of portfolios is the prerogative of the chief minister and he is likely to allot additional portfolios on or after Dussehra. BJP sources also said that the party is opposed to handing over the education portfolio to the allies. Even across the country, in BJP-ruled states, the education portfolio is held by party ministers, mainly those with Sangh roots. BJP was also not in favour of the chief minister handing the home, finance, personnel and general administration portfolios to the alliance partners.

On September 24, a day before the “inauspicious” ‘Pitru Paksh’ period of the Hindu calendar began, Parrikar dropped two ailing ministers, Francis D’Souza and Pandurang Madkaikar, from the cabinet. He replaced them with Mormugao MLA Milind Naik and Curchorem MLA Nilesh Cabral. The ‘Pitru Paksh’ period ended on Tuesday.

The decision to allot additional portfolios was taken after BJP national president Amit Shah recently tweeted that Parrikar will continue as CM and that he will carry out a cabinet reshuffle and allot additional portfolios to the ministers.