Will the CM Digambar Kamat -*Digubab" or "Naal Kamat" finally muscle courage ---albeit with the blessings of the Empress Ms Sonia Gandhi INC President ---to expand the Goa Cabinet tomorrow Monday a day "Madganvkars" dedicate to Lord Damodar Dambab the incarnation of Lord Shankar Krishna & Vishnu and a day which provides a grim reminder of the State of Emergency imposed by late Ms. Indira Gandhi 32 years ago.
In all probability it will? Under the watchfull eyes of two INC party observers who will fly down to Goa according to a source in New Delhi this writer spoke to this evening. But there may not be the distribution of loaves and fishes read portfolios "if" a last minute hiccup develops. Following the 91st amendment to the Constitution of India, the size of the Cabinet - the policy decision taking body --of the Govt of Goa, there can be a minimum of 12 ministers in small states or 15% in large states. Goa can have 12 inclusive of the CM. The posts of Speaker and Deputy Speakers are excluded. The INC has 16 seats the NCP 3 MGP 2 and Ind 2 all these have extended support to the Govt pre or post elections. The SGF 2 and UGDP 2 have of their own accord extended "unsolicited" but issue based support to the INC. The support is welcome by the INC -- atleast it will keep the boat from rocking until major political events get underway - viz elections of the President in July 2007 and the bye-election in post monsoons Sept/Oct -- but beyond that the preparedness for the Lok Sabha elections in May 2009 or a midterm poll expected much earlier will all be the concern of "Digu Bab's" coalition government. The appointment of Parliamentary Secretaries is a new development to circumvent the Cabinet size restrictions, though this was challenged in the HC of Haryana. This is a rank equivalent to the Minister of State . No doubt ministerial experience/caste pandering will be the criteria for Cabinet expansion. The talukas that will be unrepresented in the Cabinet will be Bicholim - Pale INC Sanguem - Sanvordem Ind (until River Princess issue is resolved ) and Canacona. There will be some surprises ---one surprise entrant and two defacto loyalists sidelined in the Cabinet composition. Keep your fingers crossed. GODFREY J. I. GONSALVES, BORDA, MARGAO, 403 602, GOA. (INDIA) +91 98221 58584 (24 HRS) [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________________ Yahoo! India Answers: Share what you know. Learn something new http://in.answers.yahoo.com/