Panaji, Margao, Oct 15 (TOI): With chief minister Manohar Parrikar returning from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, on Sunday, BJP got back to the drawing board to initiate moves for making BJP the single largest party in the state.

Sources in the party said that though there is no clarity on what’s going to happen, BJP’s national president Amit Shah is seized of the political situation in Goa and is likely to take a decision by the end of the week.

Despite his busy schedule, the BJP president is already in touch with allies, sources said. On Sunday, Shah spoke to Goa Forward Party (GFP) president and town and country planning minister Vijai Sardesai.

Sources said that leaders of the coalition parties may be called to Delhi to discuss BJP’s action plan.

BJP currently has 14 MLAs in the 40-member state legislative assembly, while the Congress is the single largest party with 16.

The Parrikar-led coalition government is supported by three MLAs each of the GFP and Maharastrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), and three independents. All coalition partners had given their letter of support to the governor at the time of government formation in March 2017, with Parrikar as chief minister.

The return of Parrikar from AIIMS was followed by talks of permutations and combinations in political circles.

While on the face of it the BJP appears down, sources said that the central leadership has a plan ready to ensure that the party continues to head the government in Goa.

“The party cannot lose power in Goa at any cost as parliamentary elections are fast approaching,” a BJP source said. “Amit Shah, who is in Madya Pradesh for an election campaign, will return to Delhi on Monday and then he is likely to take up the Goa issue.”

On Sunday, BJP got a shot in the arm with Sardesai expressing commitment to the BJP-led coalition government. “We are committed to the government because we formed it,” Sardesai said, clearly indicating that he would not only be with the BJP-led coalition, but would play a key role in fortifying it. Interestingly, Sardesai said that the GFP will continue to support the BJP-led government “without or without Parrikar”.

In the backdrop of speculation that the government is not stable, Sardesai asserted that the BJP-led government in the state was stable and that “nobody can bring it down”. Accusing the Congress party with attempting to create political instability in Goa, Sardesai challenged the Congress to form an alternative government.

“The Congress should first check if all its MLAs are with the party,” Sardesai said. “And I am giving this challenge to the Congress publicly. The Congress MLAs aren’t with the party, and the Congress doesn’t intend to form the government either. It’s the Congress that needs dissolution.” Sardesai was speaking after opening his party’s office in Cuncolim in the presence of former Congress minister Joaquim Alemao and his son Yuri.

Sources said that Sardesai challenged the Congress as there are doubts that all 16 MLAs are together. Two Congress MLAs are in touch with the BJP, and there’s a possibility of at least one of them quitting the party, said sources.

Sardesai also reacted to speculation that Goa might come under President’s rule.

He said that the BJP’s national leadership has promised him that the government will not be dissolved, and that it would last its term. Sardesai said that the onus of providing stability now lay on the BJP. “The people are also watching the BJP’s moves,” Sardesai said. “I hope BJP will honour this word. And they have to, else the people will judge them (the BJP leadership).”

“We formed this government (in March 2017) with the intention of making it a ‘Goenkarponnn’ government under the leadership of Manohar Parrikar. The regional aspiration is about continuation of development that Parrikar ushered in,” Sardesai said. He further said that “the development with a human, face having the essence of Goenkarponn – meaning communal harmony, development of higher standard, all this with or without Parrikar, should continue”.

BJP sources said that in case the party fails to come out with a consensus, BJP may opt for President’s rule so that they can get some breathing space to take a decision.

Before taking any final decision, coalition partners will be consulted and only then would a decision be taken, BJP sources said.

Parrikar, who was then defence minister, had returned to state politics in March 2017 after coalition partners said that they would support a BJP government only if Parrikar is chief minister.