Parrikar will continue to be Goa's chief minister: 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 state's ministers will take place soon.

The BJP chief said so in a tweet following a discussion with the 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 health has sparked speculation over his continuation as chief minister, and Shah recently sent a team of central party leaders to the coastal state to speak to the allies and take stock of the situation.

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's elections.

Choosing a replacement for Parrikar 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.