The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has managed to contain dissent in most areas in the run-up to the Goa assembly polls scheduled for February 14, but four seats, including the prestigious Panaji constituency, continue to be a cause for worry.
Naik is apparently upset as his son Siddhesh was hopeful for a ticket from Cumbharjua constituency which was represented by Madkaikar before joining the BJP.
"I was not happy in Congress. The Congress state leadership has failed completely," Madkaikar said.
The development comes at a time when Parrikar, 62, is undergoing treatment for a pancreatic ailment at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi.
Besides 11 members from BJP, three each from the Goa Forward Party, the MGP and independents supported Sawant during the head count conducted in the House.
"By next week, the government will work out the exact arrangement through which the work burden on Parrikar could be reduced," he said.
Left-handed opener Shivakant Shukla scored the fifth first-class century of his career as Railways reached 239 for four at stumps against Rajasthan on the opening day of their Ranji Trophy group league encounter.
A resolute hundred by Mahesh Rawat, and PM Madkaikar's half-century, helped Railways escape defeat against Madhya Pradesh and earn a point in their Ranji Trophy Group A encounter, which ended in a draw on the fourth and final day, in Bhubaneshwar, on Tuesday.
Thanks to Rameez Khan's hundred and a half-century knock by Anand Rajan, Madhya Pradesh posted 377 all out in their first innings and then reduced Railways to 63 for three on the second day of their Group A Ranji Trophy match in Bhubaneswar on Sunday.
While two ministers, one each from Congress and NCP, have locked horns on developmental issues, influential United Goans Democratic Party legislator Atanasio Monserratte is lobbying hard for a ministerial berth. In addition, Congress legislator Pandurang Madkaikar, who was sacked from the Cabinet, has approached Congress president Sonia Gandhi seeking reinstatement.
It is a record that the saffron party has created, where the majority of its legislators belonged to the minority community.
Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli figure among the list of probables declared on Monday.
The chief minister has been in the US for treatment of a pancreatic ailment since March this year.
If pandemic (mis)management threatened to dominate Goa's electoral discourse, the BJP is up against a deeper structural issue in its organisation, created by the fact that a majority of the legislature party and the ministerial council is made up of Congress defectors, disparagingly referred to by the Opposition as "imports". Radhika Ramaseshan reports.
The Goa police has launched a search for the builder and contractor who have gone missing following the building collapse in Cancona which left 13 people dead.
Parrikar returned to Goa as the chief minister for the fourth time, though he could not complete full terms in his earlier stints.
'BJP central observers have come to Goa and are scheming to merge smaller parties within their party to run the government.'
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances