26 Jul: Herald. MGP withdraws support; Victoria quits .Babush masterminds downfall . Parrikar favourite for CM . Churchill deputy
The Digambar Kamat-led coalition government was virtually reduced to a minority as in a late night development, two-member MGP and Independent MLA Anil Salgaocar withdrew support to the ministry and Santa Cruz MLA and Parliamentary Secretary Victoria Fernandes quit the Congress and one or two were to follow suit. Save Goa Front's chief and Navelim MLA Churchill Alemao and UGDP's lone MLA Babush Monserrate told Herald at 1.45 am that Mummy had submitted her resignation to Raj Bhavan. PWD Minister Sudin Dhavlikar and his brother Deepak Dhavlikar - Priol MLA - had withdrawn support to the government, Babush who masterminded the dethroning of Digambar Kamat ministry, said. Babush said another MLA was likely to also quit the coalition. He said they had the majority of 21 in the 40-member House. These include BJP 14, MGP 2, SGF 2, UGDP 1, Independent 1. On the other hand, the strength of the Congress-led coalition will stand at: NCP 3, Congress 14. According to information available, Opposition Leader Manohar Parrikar is their choice for chief ministership while Churchill Alemao will be his deputy. Sources said that along with the MGP, Independent MLA from Sanvordem Anil Salgaocar, a mine owner, has extended his full backing to Parrikar. That the government was on the brink of collapse came to be known only at 1.40 am. A press conference was scheduled later to announce the day's development. Though Shyam Satardekar had spoiled the party of the Babush-Parrikar camp yesterday, the leaders worked overnight and through the day to garner support for an alternative government. Victoria told the press that she decided to quit the Congress as the party had humiliated her by denying her a ministerial berth. Sudin Dhavlikar said he was unhappy with the way the government was functioning. "We wanted to give good governance but it was not happening". Full text, 697 words, at http://oheraldo.in/node/26839?PHPSESSID=c24788d0a8a7badbb4330ecf19d99c16 Forwarded by Eddie Fernandes http://www.goanvoice.org.uk/
