Goa CM Manohar Parrikar heads for AIIMS Delhi
Panaji, Sep 15 : Ailing Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Saturday headed to the national capital via a special chartered flight for further treatment and examination at the All India Institute for Medical Sciences (AIIMS).
Parrikar, who is suffering from advanced pancreatic cancer, also held meetings with Speaker Pramod Sawant and Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo amid talks of distribution of some portfolios currently being looked after by him.
"Portfolios would be distributed today to existing ministers so that the administration of Goa can run smoothly and ministers can take decisions on any files. He will distribute 48 portfolios, but will keep two or three like Home, Finance, GAD for himself," Lobo told reporters after meeting Parrikar at a private hospital in the beach village of Candolim, located 15 km from Panaji.
Apart from holding key portfolios, Parrikar is holding charge of ministries allocated to Francis D'Souza and Pandurang Madkaikar, both of whom have been hospitalised due to severe ailments.
A central team of Bharatiya Janata Party observers is also expected to arrive in Goa and meet legislators and representatives of allied parties, while also finalising an alternative leader of the BJP-led coalition government in Parrikar's absence.
Lobo also said, that the decision of change of leadership has not been taken yet and that Parrikar would continue as the Chief Minister.
"This can be only discussed at a time when he cannot continue anymore. Till then it is not right to discuss. The national leaders will discuss with core committee. If that need arises, only then a decision on change will be taken," he added.
The Chief Minister's continued absence from office has been a subject of criticism among the Opposition as well as civil society.
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RR beat RCB by six wickets in IPL
Guwahati (PTI): Blistering fifties by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Dhruv Jurel powered Rajasthan Royals to a six-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their IPL match here on Friday.
Sent in to bat, RCB rode on a fighting half-century by skipper Rajat Patidar (63) to post 201 for 8.
Virat Kohli (32), Romario Shepherd (22) and Venkatesh Iyer (29) also chipped in with useful contributions.
In reply, Sooryavanshi (78 off 26 balls) and Dhruv Jurel (81 not out off 43 balls) shared a 37-ball 108-run partnership for the second wicket to set the platform. Krunal Pandya (2/30) tried to bring them back with back-to-back wickets.
But Jurel, in the company of Ravindra Jadeja (24), completed the task with another 68-run stand, with two overs to spare.
For RR, Jofra Archer (2/33), Ravi Bishnoi (2/32) and Brijesh Sharma (2/37) took two wickets.
Brief scores:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 201 for 8 in 20 overs (Rajat Patidar 63; Jofra Archer 2/33, Ravi Bishnoi 2/32, Brijesh Sharma 2/37).
Rajasthan Royals: 202 for 4 in 18 overs (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 78, Dhruv Jurel 80 not out; Krunal Pandya 2/30, Josh Hazlewood 2/44).
