Laughable that 'bed-ridden' Goa CM has dropped ministers on health grounds: Congress mocks BJP

PANAJI: The main opposition party in Goa – Congress – has mocked the changes made by the ruling BJP in the state cabinet led by ailing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Monday and termed the entire exercise as ''laughable and hypocrisy''.

Criticising the ruling party, the Congress said that ''if they're dropping ministers on health grounds, it's laughable.''

''It's hypocrisy. When the CM (Parrikar) is himself on the bed whose condition is worse than other two ministers and they're dropped on health grounds and the CM is continuing,'' Girish Chodankar,
Goa Congress president, said slamming the move.

If they're dropping ministers on health grounds, it's laughable. It's hypocrisy. When CM is on bed whose condition is worse than other two ministers & they're dropped on health grounds&CM is continuing: Girish Chodankar, Goa Congress President,on 2 Cabinet Ministers' resignation. pic.twitter.com/UxfjPRkuMw — ANI (@ANI) September 24, 2018

The Goa Congress chief had on Sunday alleged that the PM Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah lacked the courage to replace ailing Parrikar since they fear blackmail on Rafale issue since the latter was the Defence Minister in the Modi government before taking over the CM of Goa.

The harsh reactions from Goa Congress came hours after two ailing ministers in the BJP-led coalition government were dropped from the Goa cabinet on Monday, to make way for the induction of two others from the party into the 12-member cabinet.

A statement issued by the government said that BJP MLA from Mormugao, Milind Naik, a former Power Minister, and BJP MLA from Curchorem, Nilesh Cabral, would be inducted into the state cabinet later in the day.

The swearing-in has been scheduled for 4 PM at the Raj Bhavan, the statement said.

The ministers who have been dropped from the cabinet are Francis D`Souza, who holds the Urban Development Ministry portfolio and Pandurang Madkaikar, who was the in charge of the Power Ministry.

Reacting to the development, D'Souza, who is being treated for cancer at a New York hospital, said, ''I am happy with the decision. This is the fruit of working for the party for 20 long years. I have been ill for only one month."

Madkaikar is being treated in Mumbai since June when he suffered a brain stroke.

BJP president Amit Shah on Sunday had hinted at a ministerial rejig in a tweet, which also said that Parrikar, who is being treated for advanced pancreatic cancer at New Delhi`s All India Institute of Medical Sciences would continue as the Chief Minister.

Parrikar has been in and out of hospitals in Goa, Mumbai, New York and now Delhi, for the last seven months.

(With Agency inputs)