Attacking its ally for retaining an "ailing" Manohar Parrikar as Goa chief minister, the Shiv Sena Tuesday criticised...

Attacking its ally for retaining an "ailing" Manohar Parrikar as Goa chief minister, the Shiv Sena Tuesday criticised the "cruel and inhuman politics" of the BJP and alleged the party was scared about losing the state. There is "anarchy" prevailing in the coastal state in Parrikar's absence, the Sena claimed, adding the party was grappling with the problem of who could replace Parrikar as it does not have anyone "suitable" for the top post. The 62-year-old Goa chief minister is currently admitted at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi because of a pancreatic ailment.

Manohar Parrikar

"Parrikar is not in Goa. He is undergoing treatment for cancer at a hospital in Delhi. The state administration is in doldrums in the chief minister's absence," the Sena claimed in an editorial in the party mouthpiece 'Saamana'. Running the government by retaining Parrikar as the chief minister is not just an injustice to Goa but to him as well. "Forcibly thrusting the post on him is cruel and inhuman politics," it said. The Uddhav Thackeray-led party claimed that the BJP wants to buy time in the name of Parrikar till the Lok Sabha elections that are due next year.

"Stress is not good for his current fragile (health) condition, but who will explain this to the BJP high command? They are more scared about losing the state than Parrikar's health. Their motive is that Goa should remain on the winning map of the BJP," it said. The chief minister and his cabinet colleagues do not work for the party but for taking the state ahead, said the Sena, which is an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre and in Maharashtra. BJP president Amit Shah had said Sunday that Parrikar would continue in his post.

AIIMS

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 state to speak to allies and take stock of the situation. The opposition Congress has been claiming that all is not well in the BJP-led coalition government and has demanded a confidence vote in the Assembly. On Monday, the chief minister carried out a minor Cabinet reshuffle, dropping two ailing ministers and inducting two new faces in the state.