Will bring in necessary reforms if I become CM: Goa Dy Speaker

As Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar recovers from a pancreatic ailment, Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Micheal Lobo, has laid out a series of 'necessary reforms' that would be implemented in the state if he is given a chance to become the chief minister.

Speaking to reporters in Panaji on Thursday, Lobo said that among a wide range of sectors that need reforms, mining has to be properly planned for the state of Goa, taking into account the people engaged in this sector. He also claimed that Parrikar's decision to suspend mining leases had led to a prolonged impasse in the sector and two Supreme Court bans on all ore excavation and transportation.

"Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had taken a decision to suspend mining leases in 2012 without thinking about the fate of those who are in the mining sector. If people give me the opportunity to lead the state, I will bring the necessary reforms for the people. I will see that the poorest of the poor person will benefit from different types of economies of the state," he added.

Parrikar, who turned 63 on Thursday, is currently suffering from pancreatic cancer. He was brought to his residence in Goa on October 14 after undergoing treatment in Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

Meanwhile, Lobo, while reflecting on the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) defeat in the recently-held Assembly elections in five states, said that the losses were a result of the BJP's disconnect with the people.

"The people decide your fate the minute you are not connecting with them. If you lose your grass root level connection, the people will oust you," he opined.