Goa CM likely to drop some coalition members from cabinet

The 10 Congress MLAs' move of merging with the ruling BJP in Goa Wednesday triggered speculations that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant may drop some coalition members from his cabinet.

However, Goa Forward Party (GFP) president and Deputy Chief Minister Vijai Sardesai said his party was not related to the development and he has not been told about the implications of the Congress MLAs' move on his party.

Ten Congress MLAs, led by Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar, broke away and merged into the BJP, increasing the saffron party's strength to 27 in the 40-seat house.

As the BJP's strength went up to 27 in the 40-member House, speculations were rife that Sawant might drop coalition partners from his cabinet.

"One party has split and another party has accepted them. My party is not related to the development," Sardesai reacted.

"We are part of the NDA and I have not been told about any implication of this development on my party," he added.

The GFP, with its three MLAs, had extended support to the Manohar Parrikar-led government in the year 2017 and then the Pramod Sawant-led government in 2019.

The three GFP legislators are members of the Sawant- led cabinet. Apart from them, three Independent legislators are part of the government, of whom two are ministers.

The chief minister has said the BJP was yet to take a decision on its coalition partners (whether to keep them in government or not). With 27 MLAs, the party does not allies anymore.

"At least for now we have not decided anything," he said.

The Congress, which had emerged as single-largest party after 2017 Assembly polls in the coastal state, is now reduced to five legislators.