With the political developments in the North Indian State of Jarkhand (separated from erstwhile Bihar)where the Governor Mr Syed Sibte Razis (an INC stalwart ) decision appeared controversial viz; to appoint JMM Chief Mr Sibu Soren (a tribal) as the Chief Minister, even though the NDA ex CM Mr Arjun Munda commands and parades a 41 member MLAs (now taken to the same Sunrise Resorts in Jaipur Rajasthan ---where the Goa BJP MLAs and UGDP MLA were earlier housed----to avoid kidnap or poaching ) before the President of India as further proof that he has the numbers on his side;
the ex CM Mr Munda also a tribal has now petitioned the Supreme Court ironically before the same three-judge Bench hearing Mr Parrikars case (on similar grounds of unconstitutional step by Goa Governor S C Jamir) comprising Chief Justice R C Lahoti, Justice D M Dharmadhikari and Justice AR Lakshmanan pleading for directions from the Court for his appointment and to prepone the trial of strenght immediately a day after the House convenes on 10 March, 2005 to avoid horsetrading and coercion. After the ---mention ----by counsel of Mr Munda the matter has now been posted for hearing on Wednesday 9/3/2005. Incidentally the Lok Sabha gets reconvened the same day after being adjourned following the disruption of the proceedings earlier last week. Meanwhile the Goa case has come up before the Supreme Court and has since been postponed to next Monday 14th March, 2005 with a direction to counsel of Mr Manohar Parrikar to amend the petition if he so desires following further political developments after the cause of action arose on 2/3/2005. The BJP + UGDP combine meanwhile will have enough time to test the political fall out of the month long quick political developments in the State as campaigning picks up this week for the 50 member Zilla Parishad election on 13/3/2005 though fought on non political lines this will sure be the litmus test for the rival political parties to ascertain the vox populi views on the turmoil. There is however a new development in the INC camp. Though upset at the Central decision to impose Presidents rule (much of which was guided by developments in Jarkhand ) the INC has now got to decide how to go about the seat sharing with the NCP and UGDP Party for the seats of Benaulim Taleigao Velim Poinguinim and Cumbarjua. It may be recalled that these seats in Benaulim were held by the Mr Francisco Mickey Pacheco UGDP turned UGDP (S) turned NCP the other in Taleigao by Atanasio Babush Monseratte UGDP turned BJP turned INC Velim Filipe Neri Rodrigues Independent now disqualified from re-elections (until he obtains a High Court order and stays his controversial disqualification by ex Speaker Vishwas Satarkar ( but that depends on the original --- now missing ---of the alleged tampered membership form being produced before the Court) the Poinguinim seat held by Mr Isidore Fernandes INC turned BJP turned INC and the Cumbarjua seat of Mr Pandurang Madkaikar by MGP turned BJP turned INC. The NCP has already staked its claim for the Benaulim hot seat which the UGDP demands and the INC feels it is their inherent birth right. Therefore the days to come will witness another tussle within the "secular forces" once the bye elections are announced. Atleast the INC can ride rough shod over the UGDP demand and put up candidates conceding the Benaulim seat to the NCP, but in a three tier contest with the UGDP remaining adamant there may be opportunity for the BJP backed candidate to take up the challenge in the Catholic dominated constituencies on the grounds of development. Given the imminent fight for seats the BJP will be seen as a better choice atleast the Hindu community vote will be discreetly polarised. The BJP had already made a demand from the electorate to give them atleast twenty five seats to enable them "showcase" their true potential and there are many who have vowed to fulfill this genuine demand of the BJP atleast in the New Conquests come election time. It is not clear what the BJP strategy is for the moment but following the arrival of Mr Pramod Mahajan the BJP member looking after the Goa desk there is bound to be some strategic decision. The BJP knows too well that it cannot hold its bandwagon in harness for too long also except for the seats of Cumbarjua Taleigao (doubtful) & Poinguinim where the BJP could field their candidates and hope to win atleast two seats it is ideal for it to resign enmasse to ensure a disolution of the House and fresh elections to be announced after the monsoons. Though this may not be necessary to hold fresh bye elections for the resigned seats -- as there is no Constitutional limit even if the House continues with the INC + NCP 16 members. Even otherwise it is now amply clear that in the coming days the BJP can expect a ray of hope to keep its battle moving as the INC camp is disillusioned by the High Command's decision especially the utterances of the Union Home Minister a veteran INC politician and a former Speaker from the Lok Sabha who lost the last Parliamentary elections from Latur but was made a Minister thro the backdoor. As a matter of fact the utterances of the Home Minister against his own party man in the instanst case the Speaker Mr Francisco Sardinha appointed under 180 (1) of the Costitution can help the beleagured ex CM to lend credence to his contention before the Supreme Court that the Constitutional propriety was being thrown to the wind to ensure the INC come back to power. Meanwhile the Governor of Goa Mr S C Jamir appointed a senior advocate Mr Mario Bruto da Costa of Margao as the Advocate General of the State. The advocate comes from a politically prominent family during the Portuguese regime. He has been a practicing advocate in the field of Company law earlier. It is conventional for the Advocate General to resign following the resignation of the respective Governments and the last appointee was Adv Subodh Kantak. It may interest netizens to note that the State is the biggest litigant and as one sees -- the best legal brains or atleast those that command a price are empanelled by the Government or by money bags be it the fly by night finance companies or the real estate, hence the common man is left with novices to fight their battles and this reflects on the price that the legal fraternity demand for their "precious time" Even the appointment of the last Advocate General did cause some heart burning ---as the one waiting in the wings ---an obvious choice -----was sidelined thanks to the intervention and political clout of the man who made the "short dream" of the INC possible and to assuage hurt feelings a better post was carved out for the demoralised one at the Central level. GODFREY J I GONSALVES Borda Margao Goa [EMAIL PROTECTED] ________________________________________________________________________ Yahoo! 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