The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) of Mr Sharad Pawar, Union Minister for
Agriculture and ex Speaker of the Lok Sabha Mr P A Sangma made an "unholy"
alliance surprisingly with two BJP MLA"s elect and others to elicit the
support of a total of 31 MLA's and stake claim to form the Government in
Meghalaya one of the seven sisters in the North Eastern State of India.
However the Governor according to precedence called in the single largest group
viz the INC to form the Government and to seek a vote of confidence in 10
days. This has upset the NCP combine and they have sought the intervention of
the Court to undo the directives of the Governor.
Apparently its resultant echoes were felt in Goa when the BJP introduced a no
confidence motion against both the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker before the
second Assembly session of the current calender year beginning 24th March, 2008
to 28th March 2008 ( 5 days )sending a wake up call to CM Digambar Kamat
that all would not augur well in the coming days.
It is this that provoked the INC High Command in New Delhi to resort to damage
control viz to strip the 43 year old Scheduled Tribe Minister of Transport Mr
Pandurang A Madkaikar of the Cumbarjua seat in Tiswadi Taluka (notwithstanding
the show of strenght to avert any such moves made by him last month ) and to
induct Mr Ramkrishna (Sudin) Dhavalikar a "Bhat Brahmin" of the MGP in the 12
member (incl CM) Cabinet.
With this the demands of the NCP High Command to induct one of the members of
its newly constituted front of six MLAs in Goa Legislative Assembly viz: three
of its own, Independent MLA Mr Vishwajit Pratapsing Rane, and the two MGP
candidates viz; Ramakrishna Dhavalikar and Pandurang Dhavalikar has been
fulfilled and the Government has averted a possible NCP + MGP + Independent +
BJP combine coming to power.
But there is yet another demand, that in the reshuffle of portfolios, may be
after this session, the Minister for Finance Mr Dayanand Narvekar may be
stripped of his finance portfolio. Although there were apprehensions that the
move was underway following the swearing-in-ceremony today until the time of
writing there has been no word from the CM's office.
Many argue that the NCP demand was only intended to consolidate its position in
the State as there was no reason for the INC NCP pre-poll alliance who have now
the numbers with the two Independents + unattached UGDP MLA Mr Atanasio
Monseratte having extended it support besides the two SGF MLA's joining the
INC. But the BJP with atleast one MLA in almost all the 11 Talukas excluding
Sattari and Quepem are aspiring to take advantage of the inner contradictions
to ensure that came to power sooner than later. The nine months of the current
government has survived only on the mercy of the Speaker and the Governor Mr S
C Jamir they contend and true to a great extent.
In another development the Election Commission of India has derecognised the
United Goan Democratic Party as a State Party owing to its poor performance in
the June 2007 Assembly elections while it continues to be a registered party;
On the other hand the Save Goa Front Party has been granted the status of
recognised/registered as a State Party owing to its performance in the June
2007 State Assembly elections.
GODFREY J. I. GONSALVES,
BORDA, MARGAO, 403 602, GOA. (INDIA)
+91 98221 58584 (24 HRS)
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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