New Delhi: After Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar demise on Sunday evening, Union Minister and former BJP national president Nitin Gadkari held talks with his party MLAs and leaders of regional parties of Maharastrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and Goa Forward Party at Panaji. The meeting was held to make decisions regarding the tough task of finding an immediate successor to the former Goa Chief Minister.
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MGP leader Sudin Dhavalikar, who had met Mr Gadkari and said that the talks were "confidential", was a minister under Manohar Parrikar. He has also been a five time MLA representing Marcaim constituency. Saying he would hold talks with his colleagues in the MGP, Dhavalikar also added, “I cannot disclose about the discussions and questions Mr Gadkari asked as they are confidential...We are expecting Gadkari to announce name of the CM candidate soon."
BJP sources have declined to indicate about the next course of action. Meanwhile, on late Sunday night, the Congress party which has 14 members and is the single largest outfit in the Assembly wrote a letter to the Governor Mridula Sinha and staked claim to form new government. However, Mr Gadkari had said that he will be talking to media only on Monday.
"The Coalition partners of Parrikar-led government had allied with BJP on condition that the Government is headed by Manohar Parrikar. BJP therefore has no allies as of now", stated the letter written by the Congress legislature party's Chandrakant Kavlekar and President of Goa Pradesh Girish Chodankar.