New Delhi/Panjim: A day after Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar (63) breathed his last, the BJP-led government of the coastal state finds itself in a huddle with its alliance partners to finalise the next chief minister.
Lawmakers from the BJP-led coalition government have been holding hectic parlays since Saturday to reasses the situation in the Goa power corridor- while staring at threats from the Congress party trying to stake claim at the House.
Claiming to be the single largest party in the 36-member state legislative Assembly, the Congress on Sunday formally staked its claim to form government in Goa with Governor Mridula Sinha.
In a letter to Sinha, Congress leader of the Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar said, “The coalition partners of the Parrikar-led government had allied with the BJP on the condition that the government would be headed by Parrikar, the then Defence Minister of India. The BJP, therefore, has no allies as of now.”
Furthermore, Kavlekar stated that it was up to her (Sinha) to ensure the “smooth transition and transfer of power” in the state.
“The Congress being the single largest party, its leader is entitled to be invited to form the next government. We therefore once again stake our claim to form the government and request Your Excellency to extend the invitation to our leaders to form the next government,” the letter said.
With the demise of sitting Goa Chief Minister, 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.