THE GREAT GOAN CIRCUS in the words of Ketki Angre of NDTV.
Thursday, January 17, 2008 (Panaji) The Congress government in Goa is fighting to survive. Central to the survival of Chief Minister Digambar Kamat are three NCP legislators who were supporting the Congress until Wednesday. However, when they threatened to pull out support, the Congress' numbers no longer added up to a majority. The revolt is reportedly led by independent MLA Vishwajeet Rane, the son of former Congress Chief Minister Pratap Singh Rane. Vishwajeet Rane had supported Chief Minister Digambar Kamat until Wednesday. To buy time, the Goa Cabinet on Wednesday recommended putting the session on hold just a day before it was to end. Thursday was another day of hectic negotiations, closed-door meetings, as the Congress tried to keep its strength, even as the NCP MLAs stuck to their anti-government stand. This, despite an assurance from their party president Sharad Pawar. ''My three MLAs, Babush and Vishwajit came to meet me, I see three groups, each one incapable of forming a government on its own, two groups need to come together to form a government,'' said Dr Wilfred D'Souza, President, NCP. Three NCP MLAs and one independent legislator withdrew support to the Digambar Kamat-led Congress coalition government in Goa on Wednesday. They claimed that they were unhappy with the way the Congress-led government was functioning. ''My father is not in the race for chief minister. There are problems with the CM, who needs to get more powers. After seven months, we are not heading towards any progress,'' said Vishwajeet Rane, Independent MLA. As the day progressed, the plot thickened and then came a masterstroke from the Cabinet. A recommendation to prorogue or postpone the assembly, a move that not only gave the Kamat government a breather but also saved the government from a possible floor test. Even as the opposition was left crying foul. ''The procedure could not be completed. Those who were supposed to run the procedure have themselves run away. The government as well as speaker and I have already stated that this governor is nothing but agent of the Congress. How can he take a recommendation from a cabinet that has lost its majority? asked Manohar Parrikar, Leader of Opposition. Allegations and more counter-allegations would follow in the days to come in a state, which is infamous for instable governments.ENDS C'est la vie, n'est-ce pas? Anyone for a Filipino version of democratic transition/retention of power .... with people ruling the streets? Mog asundi. Miguel -- -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-. Miguel Braganza, S1 Gracinda Apts, Rajvaddo, Mhapsa 403507 Goa Ph 9822982676 [EMAIL PROTECTED] -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
