Following the turmoil in the Goa Legislative Assembly House, and with a mere show of hands legitimising the Mr Pratapsing Raoji Ranes governments continued rule (the Speaker cast his deciding vote when both sides were tied 16 INC MGP NCP and BJP 16) the BJP has now made its presence felt in great numbers at the Governor's residence here at Dona Paula.
There is a vociferous "dharna" being staged with slogan shouting demanding the dismissal of the Rane Government. A large contingent of police have been posted. There is hectic consultations from the Governors office with the officials in New Delhi and the Union Ministry of Home at New Delhi. The Congress High Command is meanwhile ceased with the issue of appointment of Chief Minister of Haryana as there are three four claimants as telephonically confirmed from New Delhi to this writer a little while ago. Hence the Goa issue has been given a go by. However it is for the Goa Governor and the Home Minister in New Delhi to decide the appropriateness of keeping the Assembly in suspended animation and a brief spell of Presidents rule until the five by-elections are over which in any case would not enhance the prospects of the BJP given that two other disqualifications of MLAs for holding "office of profit" are expected to go against the BJP. Incidentally according to a telephonic message just recieved from New Delhi by this writer the case of Mr Parrikar which was to be heard in the Supreme Court this morning has since been postponed to 7th. The BJP led NDA at the Centre has also created a further turmoil in the Lok Sabha which has since been adjourned to the 9th March, 2005. They allege that there is a clear case of the newly appointed Governors both in Goa and Jarkhand acting in a partisan manner devoid of Constitutional ethics. The local and national media editorials have been critical of these developments especially considering the image of Ms Sonia Gandhi after her supreme sacrifice in shunning the post of PM and the Mr Clean PM of India Dr Manmohan Singh, they do not want to see the era of the 70s of late PM Ms Gandhi when all Constitutional safeguards were thrown to the winds. For just yesterday in the newly carved State of Jarkhand ( a part of Bihar) the Governor there had similarly called in the side JMM of Mr Siboo Soren backed by the UPA government at the Centre which did not have the requisite numbers to form the Government and given 20 days to test his majority on the floor of the Assembly. This group is supported by the United Goans Party -- only because of the two leaves symbol. The NDA have taken their 41 members and paraded him before the President Mr APJ Abdul Kalam including one member who was bed ridden and had to be flown in there by a chartered flight. Therefore with this unsavoury development there is a sympathy wave for the Parrikar Government in Goa as can be seen from the many who have assembled here to get a inkling of the developments. Surprisingly there is no rejoicing here in the Capital city and the general comment is that --- bad days are here again -- instability ---apparently referring to the possibility of some members of the INC demanding better portfolios if the Rane Government is there to stay. The immediate test of Mr Rane's government will be in the success of his INC candidates in the forthcoming elections on 13th March 2005 as two attempts to gain a stay as the delimitation of Zilla Panchayats was alleged to be carried out without obtaining comments from the aggrieved were not taken cognizance of by the High Court as the election process had already been completed with the last date for withdrawal of nominations. There is a hectic debate going on at the few tea shops near Dona Paula debating the fact that there is a clear preceding section which decides the appointment of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker making it the perogative of the elected members of the newly constituted House. The Speaker appointed under section 180 (1) of the Constitution by the Governor which in common parlance (not in the Constitution ) referred to as "pro-tem" Speaker is usually a senior parliamentarian or a legislator and he is expected only to "act as a Speaker" in the absence of a duly elected Speaker and Deputy Speaker for the purpose the Governor may so decide. Therefore it is obvious that his brief is limited. The decision of the current Speaker Mr Sardinha according to obviously most arbitary. But given that the Governor is a veteran and senior INC politician (from Nagaland) who has particular interests in moving back to politics if situation so demand he can hardly be expected to act as per his conscience (antagonising his High Command dictates )and annul the action of the Speaker by dismissing the Rane Government on the ground of failing to win the vote of confidence. The only next test is the Budget session which has been slated for 28th March, 2005 However until filing this report the outcome is awaited at Raj Bhavan. If the Assembly is kept in suspended animation following Presidents rule until the byelections to the five vacant seats there will not be much of a difference as the seats are mostly in favour of the INC NCP combine in short secular forces. Therefore it is obvious that the BJP will have to reconcile with its position in the Opposition and be prepared to inevitably lose yet another two members following the verdict of the High Court and winds of secularism will began to flow in Goa but with a rider the corruption and infighting and stability within the secular forces INC NCP UGDP will assume wide proportions in the days to come. Earlier the target was one --- OUT WITH MANOHAR GOPALKRISHNA PARRIKAR --- and this achieved there can hardly be any RSS indoctrinated MLAs in Goa, not unless the BJP comes to power at the Centre. from the DONA PAULA end GODFREY J I GONSALVES Borda Margao Goa [EMAIL PROTECTED] ________________________________________________________________________ Yahoo! India Matrimony: Find your life partner online Go to: http://yahoo.shaadi.com/india-matrimony
