Video Editor: Ashutosh Bhardwaj
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government and Opposition Congress are at loggerheads in Goa in the absence of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is undergoing treatment in the United States. The decisions on several important issues stand delayed.
The Congress has alleged that the three-minister panel, in charge of the state now, is completely unconstitutional. The party has all also accused the three senior ministers in the panel of not being able to take crucial decisions for running the state. The BJP has denied the charges, accusing the Congress of misleading the people and politicising Parrikar’s ill-health.
Several development projects in the state are at a standstill.
- Budget: Chief Minister Parrikar is in charge of the Finance Ministry. The state budget has not been presented in the Legislative Assembly yet, given Parrikar’s ill-health. The effects of it are now visible on the development projects pending in Goa. The Congress has alleged that work is at a standstill since the past three months.
- Tourism Policy: Goa is known for its tourism across the globe but at present, the state government is not being able to take any crucial decision on the tourism policies. This includes taxis operating in Goa and important issues related to hotel owners. The Congress has alleged that the three-minister panel is incapable of taking these decisions.
- Mines: Mines and jobs the mining sector creates are crucial to the state, but at the moment there is a shutdown after the Supreme Court's ban on mining in Goa. Like in other spheres, several important decisions over this have not been taken by the three-member panel. Activist Sudip Tamankar, who had gone to the Supreme Court over the mining issue has told The Quint that Parrikar is responsible for the crisis and warned that if there is no quick decision taken on the matter, the crisis will only increase.
- Government recruitment: The youth of the state, who are looking forward to government recruitment, are disappointed. 25-year-old Mohammed Sheikh, a graduate from Vasco is running a small shop at a bus stand for lack of government jobs.
Why is the Congress Dominant in Goa?
Amid growing tension in the state due to Parrikar’s absence, the Congress believes they have a chance to return to power. The party understands that if Parrikar has to step down under any circumstance, then the government is about to fall because the allies would not support the ruling BJP in his absence, the reason why Parrikar had to step down from the post of Defense Minister and take charge of the state.
What is the Current Political Situation in Goa?
In the 2017 Assembly elections, no party gained majority in Goa. Congress won 18 seats and became the single largest party but could not succeed in forming a government. At present, the BJP-led coalition government is in power in the state. There are 14 BJP MLAs in the Goa Assembly, three MLAs from the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, three from the Goa Forward Party and two Independent MLAs.
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