The BJP-led alliance in Goa did not reach a consensus over the next chief minister on Monday, a move necessitated by the demise of Manohar Parrikar.

Parrikar (63) died on Sunday evening at his residence near here after battling pancreatic cancer for over a year.

Gadkari in Goa

Union minister and senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari, who arrived in Goa in the early hours of the day, could not secure a consensus between the saffron party and its alliance partners in the state, party MLA Michael Lobo said.

Lobo, Deputy Speaker of the Goa Assembly, said Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) leader Sudin Dhavalikar wanted to be the chief minister due to which the discussions came to a halt.

"Sudin Dhavalikar wants himself to be the CM, while the BJP wants that the leader of the alliance should be from their camp. We could not reach to any decision," Lobo said. 

Gadkari was not available for comments.

Lobo told reporters outside a hotel after a night-long meeting that a solution to the crisis is expected to be found later in the day.

Lobo said BJP MLAs have suggested the names of Vishwajit Rane and Pramod Sawant for the post.

What allies say

Earlier, Goa Forward Party (GFP) chief Vijai Sardesai, emerging from the meeting, had said that the parties were yet to reach a conclusion.

The meeting was inconclusive and "the BJP has informed them that they will get back later during the day," Sardesai had said.

He said the parties expressed apprehensions on how to proceed in the absence of Parrikar. "We are expecting them to respond to our apprehensions soon," he added.

The GFP leader, however, said the party had not yet shut its doors on the BJP.

Sardesai was accompanied by his MLAs, Jayesh Salgaonkar and Vinod Palyekar, and Independents Rohan Khaunte, Govind Gawade and Prasad Gaonkar.

Meanwhile, speaking to reporters, Dhavalikar said that Gadkari held one-on-one meetings with the MLAs and asked them certain questions.

"I can't disclose about the questions as they are confidential. We are expecting Gadkari to announce name of the CM candidate in the next one hour. The MGP will take proper resolution supporting the government after that," he said.

The MGP MLA added that Gadkari had heard each of the MLAs individually and would soon announce a new leader.

With the demise of Parrikar, the strength of 40-member Goa Legislative Assembly has been reduced to 36. BJP MLA Francis D'Souza died last month, while two Congress members had resigned last year. 

'No one should not be taken for granted'

Earlier, the alliance partners said "no one should not be taken for granted" as their support was to Parrikar when the government was formed in 2017.

Parrikar, who was the then Union defence minister, had taken over the reins of the state after the BJP failed to get a majority in the 2017 Goa Legislative Assembly election.

"No one can be taken for granted. But we all want this government to survive. No one can afford the dissolution of the assembly or keeping the House in suspended animation," Vijai Sardesai told reporters after a meeting that was attended by leaders of his party, the MGP and Independents.

"We had given support to Manohar Parrikar not BJP. Now that he is not anymore, options are open. We want stability in Goa, we don't want dissolution of house. We'll wait for the decision at the BJP legislature meeting & then take the next step," he said. 

Sardesai said the alliance partners will take a stand only after the BJP legislative party decides its leader.

Congress stakes claim to form govt

Meanwhile, the Congress on Sunday evening wrote a fresh letter to state Governor Mridula Sinha, staking claim to form the government. 

Stating that it is the single largest party in the state, the Congress said it should be invited by the governor to form the government.

What do numbers say

The Congress is currently the single largest party in the state with 14 MLAs, while the BJP has 12 in the 40-member Goa assembly. The Goa Forward Party, MGP and Independents have three MLAs each, while the NCP has one legislator.

The strength of the House has been reduced to 36 due to the demise of BJP MLA Francis D'Souza earlier this year, and Parrikar on Sunday, and the resignations of two Congress MLAs Subhash Shirodkar and Dayanand Sopte last year.

(With PTI inputs)