Team Goemkarponn
Panaji/New Delhi:
Amid swirling speculation over a major Cabinet reshuffle in Goa, Calangute MLA Michael Lobo on Sunday held a high-profile meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant in New Delhi, sparking fresh buzz over his possible induction into the BJP-led Cabinet.
Lobo, who was a Minister in the Sawant government before the 2022 Assembly polls, quit the BJP and joined the Congress shortly after the elections were announced. He contested the polls on a Congress ticket and was later appointed Leader of Opposition in the Goa Legislative Assembly. In 2023, he returned to the BJP, triggering debate about whether he would be rewarded with a Cabinet berth.
Party insiders said today’s meeting with Shah was “decisive” and could pave the way for his inclusion, as the BJP leadership looks to consolidate its hold in North Goa and strengthen the government’s position ahead of the monsoon session.
Lobo is expected to take the place of Alexio Sequeira in the Cabinet.
In another significant development, Chief Minister Sawant also called on Environment Minister and Nuvem MLA Alexio Sequeira at a private hospital in Delhi, where Sequeira is undergoing medical treatment.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Sequeira confirmed that a wide range of issues were discussed but maintained that the decision to retain or drop any minister lies solely with the Chief Minister. “We had a long meeting and discussed various matters. Ultimately, it is the Chief Minister’s decision whether to keep me in the Cabinet or not,” Sequeira said, adding that he would respect whatever decision is taken in the best interests of the government.
These meetings come against the backdrop of the recent sacking of Art and Culture Minister Govind Gaude, which has left a vacancy in the Cabinet and triggered intense lobbying among senior legislators.
According to sources, Sawant has also communicated to Minister Subash Phaldesai his plan to appoint him as the next Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly, a move that would set off a chain reaction of Cabinet adjustments. The current Speaker, Ramesh Tawadkar, is tipped to return to the Cabinet, while former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat is also being considered for a ministerial position.
If Phaldesai accepts the Speaker’s post, at least two berths could open up, potentially accommodating both Tawadkar and Kamat. However, it remains unclear whether all stakeholders have agreed to the reshuffle formula.
Political observers say the BJP’s national leadership is keen to finalise the new team before the Assembly session begins, in a bid to streamline governance and balance regional representation.
For now, Michael Lobo’s meeting with Amit Shah and Sawant has added a fresh twist to Goa’s unfolding political drama, suggesting that a Cabinet reshuffle may be imminent.
