Parrikar to continue as Goa chief minister, says Amit Shah

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar will continue in his post, BJP president Amit Shah said on Sunday as he announced that a reshuffle of the state's ministers will soon take place.

The BJP chief said so in a tweet following a discussion with Bharatiya Janata Party's core group team from Goa.

"It has been decided during a discussion with the Goa BJP core team that Manohar Parrikar will continue to lead the Goa government. There will soon be a reshuffle of ministers and their portfolios," he said.

Parrikar's poor health has sparked speculation over his continuation as chief minister of Goa, and Shah recently sent a team of central party leaders to the coastal state to speak to allies and take stock of the political situation there.

The opposition Congress, which is the single-largest party in the state, has staked claim to form the government. The BJP has asserted that its government continues to have the support of a majority of MLAs.

Parrikar is admitted to AIIMS and undergoing treatment for pancreatic ailment.

The reshuffle of ministers will be aimed at consolidating support for the BJP-led alliance government as the Congress is looking for signs of discontent to topple the Goa government.

In the 40-member state assembly, the Parrikar-led government has the support of 23 MLAs.

The BJP has 14 MLAs against 16 of the Congress, and Parrikar's appeal was a key reason behind its success in securing support from a cross-section of legislators following last year elections.

Choosing a replacement for Parrikar, if such a need arises, will be tricky for the BJP as finding a leader who could command the loyalty of MLAs from different parties would not be easy, political watchers believe.