http://www.navhindtimes.com/articles.php?Story_ID=072621
MLAs refusal to bite bait averted fall of govt NT Staff Reporter Panaji, July 25 The last moment change of heart by Congress MLA from Curchorem, Mr Shyam Satardekar, and refusal of others who were approached with a ?bait? of amounts ranging from Rs 15 to Rs 20 crore, prevented the collapse of Congress led-government headed by Mr Digambar Kamat, yesterday. According to highly placed sources, those who plotted the "downfall" of the government held a meeting at the residence of an officer on special duty to a minister in the Kamat cabinet at government quarters in Altinho, on Monday evening. The meeting was attended by two ministers (including one of Congress party) in the government, besides Mr Churchill Alemao, Mr Atanasio Monserrate, Mr Manohar Parrikar, Mr Rudolf Fernandes (son of St Cruz MLA -- Ms Victoria Fernandes), Mr Pandurang Dhavalikar and two staunch supporters of Bharatiya Janata Party and it was decided to topple the government by making Congress MLAs resign their seats. The sources said that leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Save Goa Front and the lone UGDP MLA assured all those who were to switch sides that besides the "cash reward" they would also be made ministers in the new cabinet to be headed by Mr Parrikar. As per the agreement between them Mr Churchill Alemao was to be the deputy to Mr Parrikar, while the third sport was to go to Mr Monserrate. A non-Congress minister, who was part of the toppling game, assured those gathered at the meeting that he would ensure that Mr Vishwajit Rane, the Health Minister, would join them later. He took the responsibility of getting the junior Rane to join the new formation only to be rebuffed by the later, said the sources, which was also a reason behind the "failed" coup. The sources said that there was desperation in the opposition camp and that they were ready to part with any amount of cash to "buy" the MLAs to get back into power. They also used "blackmailing" tactics for the purpose, the sources added. The sources further said that while Mr Parrikar was attempting to prove his leadership that he still wielded magic to win over his enemies and help the party ?regain? the lost glory, Mr Monserrate wants to be at the helm of affairs of the town and country planning department. Mr Churchill Alemao, they said, has become more desperate for power and that having failed to win the "heart" of Congress leadership by offering issue based support he put his brother to take up his case, only to fail in his latest attempt. It is quite well-known in the political circles that younger Alemao has been trying hard to rehabilitate his elder brother. According to the sources, Mr Silveira refused the offer made to him and walked away from associating with the toppling game. Later Mr Satardekar also gave up his plans to associate with any move to topple the government on learning that he was being taken for a ride, said the sources adding that much before he came to the assembly he called up the Chief Minister to say that he was behind him. The plotters of toppling game, except Mr Churchill Alemao, were left with only Ms Victoria Fernandes and as they failed to garner support to reduce the Congress-led government to minority, they beat a hasty retreat and one of them rushed to the assembly. Having failed to dislodge the government the ?plotters? of the coup met late in the evening to take stock of the situation. The meeting was attended by the Alemao brothers, Mr Parrikar, Mr Monserrate and Ms Fernandes after the end of the assembly session. The sources said that every Congress MLA present at the meeting convened by the Chief Minister has assured to stand by him and not associate themselves with any move to cause instability in the state in future. The sources said that later in the evening the Power Minister, Mr Aleixo Sequeira and Mr Agnelo Fernandes, were seen in the company of Mr Joaquim Alemao in a stared here hotel and helped diffuse the situation. Meanwhile, the Revenue Minister, Mr Jose Philip D?Souza urged the opposition to desist from making moves to topple the government saying that instability would be counter-productive to the progress of the state and its people. "Give us time to perform for at least two to three years and then see our performance," he told the House during reply to debate on demands.
