Taking the phrase ‘clinging to power’ to a new level - By Nisser Dias

We all know that politicians of all hues are power hungry and given our electoral system they repeatedly contest and get elected. But chief minister Manohar Parrikar has taken the phrase ‘clinging to power’ to an absolutely new level. 

He is clinging to power at the cost of his life. Which sane person or with average intelligence would hang on to power when his health was deteriorating rapidly.

Maybe he wants to further deteriorate the financial health of Goa along with his own. Or maybe he wants the exchequer to continue to foot his medical bills. He may enjoy the perks of office but that does not mean he has to take advantage of the situation. Every time he has been the chief minister he has never failed to increase the salaries, perks and allowances of the legislators.

Just as he utterly failed to keep the state finances healthy he seems to have failed to save for himself and now that he is severely ill, continues to seek treatment in top hospitals in India and America at the exchequer’s expense, while the tax-payers find it difficult even to get proper treatment and medicines at the government hospitals.

Ironically the ‘know-it-all’ chief minister of Goa did not know what was happening to his body as he was too busy clinging on to his chair while crushing up-coming or budding leaders and keeping the opposition in fear.

The BJP boasts of having more than Rs.10 billion in their party fund account. Chief minister Parrikar must have surely contributed to this fund. It would be interesting to know how much is his party giving back or contributing to help their ailing member or footing his medical bills?

For months now he is hopping from hospital to hospital leaving the State headless and its administration, financial health in shabbles. He is simply not bothered what has happened to the State or what will happen because of these consequences.

If at all Congress or any other party was ruling the State, Parrikar would have sought the opportunity to go hammer and thongs and would not rest till another legislator was appointed as chief minister.

Because the opposition is disoriented and toothless administrative paralysis continues. Recently one Congress spokesperson demanded the status of chief minister health within 24 hours or they would initiate protests all over the state. 48 hours have passed and nothing has happened. Looks like the Congressmen have chickened out.

Another two ministers are fighting for their lives in top hospitals in Mumbai and America besides the Manohar Parrikar and tax-payers continue to foot their bills too. If at all the chief minister was in the pink of health, he would have stripped them of their portfolios and appointed some else but since he is also in the similar dilemma he lets them continue as ministers in his cabinet thereby letting Goa and Goans suffer.

Chief minister boasts of being a financial wiz, but Comptroller and Auditor General has pointed out that Goa lost Rs. 1400 crores due to mismanagement. The CAG report speaks volumes of his financial expertise. Parrikar should hang his head in shame and should have resigned as being incompetent for having caused such a huge loss to Goa, but brazen as he is, continuous to be the CM.

This is an indication that along with his health he has ruined the financial health of the State. At the same Parrikar should also not forget that his party patriarch L K Advani who he compared to ‘rancid pickle’ is in much better health than he. What goes around comes around.

In conclusion, Manohar Parrikar should immediately step-down on health grounds not only as chief minister but also as an MLA thereby setting a precedent for his ailing ministers to also resign.

But we very well know that he will not do so as he has never kept his promise to his late wife to allow him 10 years in public life. Then he reneged his public statement that 2012 would be his last term in politics and again in 2017 he said that as long as he believes he is fit, he will be in politics.

He himself has admitted that he is suffering from pancreatic ailment – it could much more as there is a veil of secrecy around it. Through his own admission he has confirmed that he is not healthy or fit enough to govern or to be in active politics and should resign or hand over the reins to someone else to nurse Goa’s financial health back to shape.