"I don't want to be CM"; Sudin dismisses toppling game
GOANEWS & PTI, PANAJI | 28 June 2013 11:28 IST
PWD minister Sudin Dhawalikar has dismissed the rumours of attempts to topple the Manohar Parrikar-led government and forming an alternative, with him as the chief minister.
"I am not interested in such games. I am not interested in becoming Chief Minister. ‘Right now’ the government under Manohar Parrikar is doing fairly well," he said.
Rumours of government toppling have taken a front seat as Parrikar left for seven-day Europe tour yesterday morning.
The disgruntled elements rumoured to have backed Dhawalikar as the new chief minister.
The strategy believed to be at least five BJP members resigning and pushing the government into minority.
BJP enjoys absolute majority of 21 in the 40-member House.
In spite of this, it has an alliance with three-member MGP led by Dhawalikar and two-member Goa Vikas Party led by Mickky Pacheco.
In addition, Parrikar also enjoys support of four out of five independent MLAs, making an alliance government of 30 in the 40-member House.
One among these independents – Avertano Furtado – is a minister.
Similarly, both Dhawalikar brothers of the MGP are also ministers.
The opposition comprises only nine-member Congress and independent Vijay Sardesai.
The strategy thus is believed to be reducing BJP to 16 and the House to 35, after which the new formation would require 18 members to prove the majority.
This would be mobilised with 9 of Congress, 3 of MGP, 2 of GVP and at least three independents, making it 18 against 17, including the speaker.
This could give the new formation a comfortable majority of 18 v/s 16 since the speaker need not vote.
Rubbishing these rumours, Dhawalikar said his party will continue with the alliance.
“We are even continuing the alliance in the in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections”, he claimed.
He is presently holding charge of the cabinet with Parrikar gone abroad and deputy chief minister Francisco D’Souza gone on leave.
"We are in alliance with the BJP and it will continue," he said.
The leaders of both the parties will sit and discuss strategy for next Lok Sabha elections before deciding on the Lok Sabha candidates, said Dhawalikar.
"Whatever are the strategies for the party or decision on the candidate, it will be taken by both the party leaders," he added.
