At 1608 hrs IST Mr Filipe Neri Rodrigues an engineer by profession native of Dramapur Sirlim the Independent MLA representing the Velim Assembly Constituency, was sworn is as Minister, by the Governor of Goa Mr S C Jamir, at a brief ceremony at the Raj Bhavan Dona Paula though no portfolio was announced yet at the time of filing this report.
Mr Neri after he severed links with the BJP coalition Government was disqualified from the House by the then Speaker Mr Vishwas Satarkar in the 2nd February 2005 fiasco, which saw the INC and Mr Rane back in the saddle. Later Mr Rodrigues was sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister of Goa, the youngest in such a position in the history of Goa, but this status was shortlived for on 4th March 2005 saw the Assembly in suspended animation and imposition of President's rule. Thereafter Mr Neri filed a petition seeking requalification on the grounds that the document puported to his being a member of the BJP which he extended support as an Independent Minister indeed bore a his forged signature. But Neri's ran out of luck again being disqualified by the Speaker. He went through a nine month period cast in near oblivion awaiting the examination of the forged document by forensic experts in Hyderabad and later the court verdict which came on 21st December, 2005 did not touch on the forged document aspect but went into the procedural lapses of natural justice in deciding the disqualification. Ironically the original document alleged to be forged is missing from the file held by the Speakers secretariat and this was vital document could have helped the BJP in having the verdict in their favour. The two BJP members one an MLA Sadanand Shet and the other a BJP office bearer Mr Madhav Dhond have been prima facie implicated but are awaiting the order of the High Court which has since been reserved on the issue of grant of bail. If bail is not granted the two could be arrested, which would only add to the miseries befallen the BJP before the New Year begins. Meanwhile the present portfolio's held by the 11 Cabinet rank Ministers of the Goa Government are as under Shri Pratapsingh Rane Chief Minister Finance, Home, Forest, Information, Revenue and potofolios not alloted to any other Minister. Dr Wilfred De Souza Dy. Chief Minister Tourism Environment & Pollution Science & Technology Shri. Luizinho Faleiro Industries Education Factories & Boilers Shri. Digambar Kamat Power Mines Art & Culture Shri. Dayanand Narvekar Information Technology Law and Judiciary Legislature Affairs Health Shri. Ramkrishana Dhavlikar PWD Cooperation Archaeology & Museum Shri. Subhash Shirodkar Panchayati Raj Rural Development Social Welfare Women & Child Development Craftsmen Training Shri. Atanasio Monserrate Town and Country Planning, Provedoria Housing Shri. Pandurang Madkaikar Transport River NavigationSports & Youth Affairs Shri. Joaquim Braz Alemao Urban Development Fisherieslabour & Employment Shri Francisco Pacheco AgricultureAnimal Husbandary Shri Agnelo Fernandes Parliamentary Secretary (not a Cabinet position) In the above circumstances the only heavyweight portfolio that could be given to Neri is the Water Resources (earlier known as the Irrigation ) portfolio which is presently undertaking the Tillari Project. Incidentally this was the portfolio he held in the previous BJP ruled coalition and as the Deputy CM as well. However though Neri expects to be given the Deputy Chief Minister status which means one for the North Goa Dr Willie and the other for the South Mr Rane would not wish to ruffle the disgruntled senior and junior Ministers who are gunning for his head being a slow performer. But Rane a veteran politicians and well aware of his Ministers is known for his game of "patience" which annoys many --- Remember when he denied the Sports portfolio to Mr Churchill Alemao when he won the 1990 elections, Mr Alemao pulled the carpet from under his feet and put the brakes on Mr Rane being the longest serving CM after J B Patnaik of Orrisa. Mr Alemao formed the shortlived PDF government then and was CM for 14 days followed by Dr Proto L Barbosa. This time round Mr Rane has one dangerous option to drop Mr Francisco Miky Pacheco MLA Benaulim of the NCP and induct Mr Jeetendra Deshprabhu MLA Pernem to remove the steam from the younger aspirants who are vying for Ministerial positions. But all this is too risky and Mr Neri may have to be content with the portfolios of Water Resources and prepare themselves for a midterm elections. In fact one of the reasons why the swearing in ceremony was expedited was to offset the move of the BJP to get a stay on the High Court order re-qualifiying Mr Neri. With this move the Supreme Court may not be inclined to grant a stay notwithstanding the merits or demerits of the case and hence the move. Incidentally Mr Neri flew to New Delhi to file a caveat in the Supreme Court to prepare himself to be heard before the BJP's moves for appeal. Meanwhile Goans welcomed the move of our Parliament to expel the 10 Lok Sabha MP's and 1 Rajya Sabha MP for demanding cash for raising Questions on the floor of the Assembly. This was an unexpected move from the ruling UPA Congress led dispensation and unheard of in the anals of Indian democracy. But now that the precedent has been set notwithstanding stiff opposition from the BJP and its allies, the move is welcome by all well meaning citizens. The next batch includes the others implicated for demanding commission for development works under the MPALD's where every MP gets two crores to undertake through the District Collector development works under the scheme in his or her constituency. The name of Mormugao Parliamentary Constituency MP Mr Churchill Braz Alemao figures in this but having filed an First Information Report before the police in New Delhi he is not likely to be found guilty by the Ethics committee to set up by Parliament to investigate the genuinity of their involvement following the sting operations shown on Star TV networks. Wishing all a MERRY CHRISTMAS >From the old secretariat end GODFREY J I GONSALVES BORDA MARGAO GOA [EMAIL PROTECTED] Send instant messages to your online friends http://in.messenger.yahoo.com ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Help save the life of a child. 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