Goa CM has tough task of running coalition govt: Nitin Gadkari
"By-election results directly linked to Goa government's stability"
Panaji, May 16: Union minister Nitin Gadkari Thursday said Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant faces the tough task of running the coalition government in the state, as keeping all the alliance partners together is a challenge.
Gadkari, who was in Goa to address the party's public meeting in support of candidate Siddharth Kunkolienkar for the Panaji bypoll, said the stability of the government was an important criterion for Goa's future development as envisaged by late chief minister Manohar Parrikar.
The by-election to Panaji Assembly segment is scheduled to take place on May 19.
"While taking ahead the vision of Parrikar, the journey of chief minister Pramod Sawant is not going to be easy," he said, adding that it may be difficult for him to keep all the alliance partners together.
"Goa's pace of development will face hurdles if there is instability in the state. The results of this election (Panaji by-election) is directly linked to the stability of the government," the minister said.
Recalling the time when Parrikar agreed to resign as the Defence minister and take over the reigns of the state after the 2017 Goa Assembly elections, Gadkari said the late CM had done a great sacrifice for the people of the state by giving up the post in central cabinet.
He said he was personally against Parrikar's return to Goa politics.
"But Parrikar had Goa in his heart. He always wanted to work for the people of the state," Gadkari said.
The by-election to Panaji Assembly constituency is necessitated due to the death of Parrikar on March 17, 2019.
Taking a dig at the Congress, Gadkari said the opposition party has fielded a candidate who has all the qualities.
The minister was referring to the criminal cases, including rape, against Congress's Panaji bypoll candidate Atanasio Monserratte.
He also said that former Goa RSS chief Subhash Velingkar is contesting on the Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM) ticket to defeat the BJP candidate, "which is unfortunate.''
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Actor Ranveer Singh receives threat
Mumbai (PTI): Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh received a threat through WhatsApp from unidentified persons, police said on Tuesday.
Security around his residence was increased after Singh received a threat through a voice note and approached police, an official said.
The threat to the `Dhurandhar' star came days after an incident of firing outside the residence of filmmaker Rohit Shetty in the city.
Police suspect that members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang could be behind the threat to Ranveer with the purpose of extortion, the official said. The crime branch of Mumbai Police has launched a probe, he added.
Besides Mumbai Police personnel, private guards too have been deployed at the housing society in Central Mumbai where the actor lives.
On Tuesday, the society's managing committee approached police and expressed concern over the deployment of guards. "Since these armed guards are frequently moving with weapons in common areas such as the lobby, gymnasium and children's play area, the society managing committee has expressed serious concern regarding the safety and comfort of other residents," they said in a letter.
Recently, an unidentified shooter had fired five rounds at filmmaker Rohit Shetty's residence in Juhu.
Lawrence Bishnoi gang member Shubham Lonkar, who has been absconding, purportedly took responsibility for the firing. Five men have been arrested in the case.
