BJP-led Government in Goa Stable Under Parrikar: Sardesai

Panaji, Oct 30 (PTI) Though the Manohar Parrikar government in Goa is stable, coalition partners of the BJP should not be taken for granted in case any decision about leadership change is taken, a key ally of the saffron outfit said Tuesday.

The Goa Forward Party (GFP), however, asserted there is no issue of leadership change with Parrikar at the helm of affairs in the state.

GFP president Vijai Sardesai reiterated that the state government is stable under the leadership of Parrikar and maintained all coalition partners should behave responsibly.

Sardesai told reporters here that in case any decision about leadership change is taken, everyone will have to sit and decide.

"By and large we are together under leadership of Manohar Parrikar. He is there and we are listening to him. But any other decision is taken (about leadership change), then we will have to sit and discuss. Nobody can be taken for granted," he said.

The BJP-led government has the GFP, the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and three Independents as its partners.

"We should understand that Goans have expectations from us. We should also not forget, under what circumstances, we had formed the government.

"So, onus is on us to maintain stability, otherwise people will judge us for not being united," Sardesai, who is also Goa's Agriculture Minister, said.

The minister ruled out mid-term polls in the state claiming "no one can afford the elections".

"None of the MLAs want mid-term polls. Congress MLAs also dont want polls. If they feel that there is election then the second batch of the Congress leaders leaving the party would be bigger than the first," he said.

He was apparently referring to two Congress MLAs Subhash Shirodkar and Dayanand Sopte recently resigning from the party and the assembly membership and joining the BJP. PTI

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