Panaji: With the monsoon session of Goa legislative assembly knocking the door and State government getting set to face the litmus test paper, Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo will have to wait till mid-August to know whether he stands a chance or not to be in the state cabinet.
Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant celebrating Lobo’s birthday had assured that he would be given a bigger responsibility. But he had said that Lobo needs to have little more patience.
Now the question is how much more patience should Lobo have as he has been aspiring for cabinet berth right from the day he was re-elected in Calangute Assembly constituency.
WHOM WILL MAKE WAY FOR MICHAEL?
Goa Forward Party chief Vijai Sardesai has clearly hinted that his party is unwilling to sacrifice one of their minister to accommodate Lobo. Sardesai told reporters in Margao that GFP has soft-corner for Lobo but not at the cost of their own minister. He had rubbished the news about Vinod Palekar being dropped from the cabinet.
CM IS BUSY WITH PREPARATIONS FOR ASSEMBLY
Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant has been busy preparing himself for one of the longest assembly session beginning from next week. Sawant has no time to spare to think about cabinet reshuffle. Also, considering that the opposition benches will wait for opportunity to put the government on mat, Sawant does not think it wise to replace any minister at this juncture. If he does so, he will have to answer on behalf of the minister, who will be stepping down to replace Lobo.
WHO FROM BJP WILL SACRIFICE FOR LOBO?
There are apprehensions that one of the minister from South Goa will be dropped to accommodate Lobo. But the caste equation does not permit Sawant to take this decision. Sources in the government said that the minister, who was likely to be dropped was from Bhandari community, and it does not augur well with current dispensation to upset that section which has considerable influence.
MICHAEL HAS TONED DOWN HIS CRITICISM AGAINST GOVT
There has been one noticeable change in the behaviour of Lobo since the day of his birthday. He has been more calmer and less critical of the government. Lobo who has been saviour of the tourist taxi operators has also turned silent on the issue of App-based taxi service. He has been trying to break ice between government and tourist taxi operators. The angry young man image of Lobo is slowly fading away. Is this to ensure that he is not kept waiting for the cabinet berth?
