After Goa CM, BJP’s second in command on foreign trip leaving state in a mess

The state government in Goa is heading towards another milestone of paralysis in governance after Amit Shah-led party’s second in command of the State, State Urban Development Minister Francis D’Souza leaving for a month long foreign trip. D’Souza represents BJP on the Cabinet Advisory Committee, a temporary arrangement worked out by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar before he left for the USA in the first week of March this year for treating his pancreatic ailment.

State’s main opposition, Congress party has condemned the act of the senior minister to leave for vacation when Goa is going through crisis. Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Girish Chodankar has said that D’Souza’s absence will “amplify the crisis of governance in the State futher.”

“D’Souza has left for Portugal on his one month long vacation though the state continues reeling under serious crisis right from uncertainty on mining front to frequent interruption in the power supply,” he said.

Chodankar has said “it is ironical is that D’Souza has handed over his portfolios to Parrikar, who is already in the USA.” “Parrikar already has maximum portfolios including Finance, Home, Education retained with him,” he added.

The Congress leader has recalled that  Congress has in the past urged Governor to call it form a stable government as the party has highest number of the legislators in the legislative assembly. “The party has already said that they can garner support within seven days of swearing in their leader as chief minister,” he said.

Chodankar said that “there is no clear sign of when actually Parrikar would return to the State though he has been issuing statements through video messages and phone calls to the Journalists.” “With D’Souza leaving the state, there is no senior leader to
represent the party in the CAC. The State will head towards a bigger mess,” he added.
Chodankar said that Goa is already facing economic slowdown due to mining crisis.

“Governor Mridula Sinha who is matured personality should be sensitive to the state of affairs at the current situation and emerge as a savior for the state of Goa by acting in accordance with the constitution,” he added.