Panaji, Sept 18:
Goa Forward Party (GFP) chief Vijai Sardesai said Tuesday that BJP president Amit Shah had called him to discuss the political situation in Goa and to “ensure stability”. With Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar admitted at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi, opposition Congress has said it is going to seek dismissal of the BJP-led government. GFP, which has three MLAs, is an ally of the BJP. “Amit Shah had called me before BJP’s national observers arrived here to take stock of the political situation. He had basically called to discuss the political situation and to ensure stability of the Manohar Parrikar government,” Sardesai told PTI. “Shah informed me about (scheduled) visit of BJP observers. He spoke about how important allies are in the government and their role in ensuring stability,” the GFP chief said.
He claimed that Shah’s call followed after Sardesai demanded that there has to be a permanent solution if the BJP was thinking about a leadership change in Goa in view of Parrikar’s illness. “I had publicly expressed opposition to ad hoc arrangements,” Sardesai added. The GFP leader said he conveyed the same to BJP observers B L Santhosh, Ram Lal and Vijay Puranik who visited the coastal state last weekend. His party is now waiting for the BJP’s decision on the current political situation, he said. Parrikar, who has been ailing since mid-February, is undergoing treatment at AIIMS for a pancreatic ailment.
