No Consensus yet on the next Chief Minister of Goa

Guwahati: After the demise of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, the BJP-led alliance in Goa didn't reach a consensus over the next Chief Minister of the state.

Senior BJP leader and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari arrived in Goa early on Monday to pay homage to the Chief Minister and also holds a meeting to discuss the next hopeful Chief Minister of the state.

BJP MLA Michael Lobo said that Gadkari could not secure a consensus between the saffron party and its alliance partners in the state.

Lobo further said that Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) leader Sudin Dhavalikar wants to be the Chief Minister due to which the discussions came to a halt. He said, "Dhavalikar wants himself to be the CM while the BJP wants the leader of the alliance should be from their camp and therefore, we have not reached to any decision."

A night-long meeting was held with Gadkari but he was not available for any comments.

Loba also stated that the BJP MLAs have suggested the names of Vishwajit Rane and Pramod Sawant for the post.

Moreover, the Goa Forward Party (GFP) Chief Vijai Sardesai who has emerged from the meeting said that the parties were yet to reach a conclusion adding that the meeting was inconclusive and that the BJP has informed them that they will get back later during the day.

Sardesai further added that the parties expressed apprehensions on how to proceed in the absence of Parrikar and that they are expecting the BJP to respond to their apprehensions soon.

Sardesai also states that the GFP had not yet shut its doors on the BJP.

Later, after the meeting Sunil Dhavalikar said that Gadkari held one-on-one meetings with the MLAs and asked them certain questions saying that he cannot disclose any questions as they are confidential. "We are expecting the BJP leader Gadkari to announce the name of the CM candidate in the next one hour. The MGP will take proper resolution supporting the government after that," said Dhavalikar.

Meanwhile, Sardesai said that no one should be taken for granted and that they all want Parrikar's government to survive. "No one can afford the dissolution of the assembly or keeping the House in suspended animation. We have given support to Parrikar not to BJP and now with his demise the options are open. We want stability in Goa and don't want dissolution of the house. We will wait for the decision at the BJP legislature meeting and then take the next step," added Sardesai.

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

Stating the party as the single largest party in the state, it said that they should be invited by the Governor to form the government.

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