Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji
Panaji, Sep 7: Digamber Kamat-led government's alliance partner, Nationalist Congress party (NCP), has said that the Congress should consult them in case they are executing any cabinet reshuffle.
"We are the second largest partner in the coalition and Congress should consult us, if they are having any portfolio reshuffle," NCP Goa legislature wing president Jose Philip D'Souza stated.
The rumours of cabinet reshuffle are rife in the state with possibility of congress party dropping its minister to accommodate legislator Pandurang Madkaikar. Interestingly, Madkaikar was earlier dropped to accommodate Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) legislator Sudin Dhavalikar.
"We don't want Congress to consult us if they are dropping their minister. But when it comes to shuffling portfolios, we expect that chief minister should not do it without taking us into confidence," D'Souza.
The NCP leader, however, ruled out the possibility of any cabinet reshuffle so soon. "There are plans for the reshuffle, as I know. But they wont be so soon," he contended.
The coalition partner earlier had asked for the public works department portfolio for their minister. The PWD portfolio currently lies with congress legislator Churchill Alemao.
The NCP has its two ministers in the state cabinet and had expressed its unhappiness over bias attitude adopted by the Congress towards them while allotting chairmanships of the state government run corporations.
The Sharad Pawar-led party had also threatened to pull out from the government, little before the state legislative assembly session, stating that they were not happy with the functioning of the government.
D'Souza said that he has already briefed NCP union leader Praful Patel about the state unit's grievances and he would follow up the matter with the congress high command.
"So far there are no big issues but the NCP high command is in touch with me and all the problems will be sorted out at national capital level," he said.