Cabinet expansion is appearing to be a tedious task for the Digamber Kamat-led government in Goa, as the Chief Minister will have to satisfy all its alliance partners.
“We will give justice to everyone,” Goa Chief Minister Digamber Kamat told reporters on Friday stating that the expansion would be held sometimes mid-next week.
Kamat, who is in chair with the support of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and two Independents, will have to judiciously expand the cabinet giving partners their desired share.
Besides, Kamat has an uphill task of satisfying Vishwajeet, an Independent legislator and son of Goa Legislative Assembly Speaker Pratapsingh Rane, who played a major role in government formation.
Another Independent candidate, Anil Salgaoncar, will also have to be accommodated.
During the first phase, only four were sworn in including Chief Minister, leaving eight more berths free in the 12-member cabinet.
The Congress party has many senior leaders and former ministers who are vying for the ministerial post. There are also a few legislators, who have got elected for consecutive second term from their respective constituencies.
Those legislators who could not secure a ministerial berth in the last tenure on account of being new, have now lobbied for their inclusion.
The NCP, which had pre-poll alliance with the Congress, already has their legislature party leader Jose Phillip D’Souza inducted in the cabinet during the first phase. It has three members in the House.
However, from the rest two, former minister Fransisco Alias Micky Pacheco, is also vying for the cabinet berth.
The Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) too has their leader Ramkrishna Alias Sudin Dhavalikar inducted in the first phase while his brother Dipak, MGP legislator and first timer in the assembly, awaits his chance to come.
The Chief minister will have to accommodate Rane’s son at an appropriate position as he played a major role in installing Kamat on the chair by opposing candidature of veteran Congressman Ravi Naik.
Left with Deputy Speaker’s post and eight ministerial berths, Kamat will also have to accommodate both the legislators from Churchill Alemao-led save Goa front (SGF) who have issued “outside and issue-based” support to the ruling government.
-PTI
