Manohar Parrikar shifted to AIIMS, Delhi; will remain CM of Goa

Ailing Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is battling advanced pancreatic cancer, is being shifted from a private clinic in Bardez, Goa to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi on Saturday, September 15 afternoon. Deputy Speaker in the Goa Legislative Assembly Michael Lobo told the media on Saturday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah were monitoring the situation in Goa. “Portfolios that were with CM will be distributed among ministers so that administration runs smoothly. Parrikar ji will continue to serve as CM,” said Lobo.

A BJP central team is expected to arrive in Goa soon to oversee political developments and speak to its party leaders, as well as assure allies over the future course of action, party sources had said on Friday.

With his leadership under question due to his continued absence from office, Chief Minister Parrikar on Friday made two surprising moves, which have raised the political temperature in the coastal state.

Parrikar, who since his return from the US on September 6, had been under self-imposed exile at his private residence and a nondescript clinic operated by a relative. On Friday, he made a surprise appearance at his ancestral residence in Parra village in North Goa district to pay his respects to Lord Ganesha and also convened a meeting of senior Cabinet ministers as well as the core committee of the state BJP—his first meeting involving political leaders from his own party and allies since his return.

State BJP general secretary Sadanand Shet Tanavde, however, said that no political issues were discussed at the meeting. "It was purely a courtesy meeting. The Chief Minister had not met his Cabinet ministers and party leaders for several days. No politics or leadership was discussed at the meeting," Tanavde told IANS.

He also rejected "rumours" that Public Works Department Minister and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party leader Sudin Dhavalikar had been offered Deputy Chief Ministership by the BJP during the meeting. The “rumours” though are strong, with reports that Dhavalikar has offered that Parrikar remain as CM while he serves as Deputy CM. Goa is also rife with talk of Dhavalikar’s Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party merging with the BJP as part of the deal.

"These are all rumours. Nothing to this effect was discussed," Tanavde said, even as state MGP President Deepak Dhavalikar insisted that preliminary talks with the Goa BJP leaders was on over the issue of Deputy Chief Ministership for his brother Sudin.

With IANS inputs