http://goaunltd.com/ Breaking: Desperate Cong inducts tainted MLA Monserrate to save govt. 5 August 2008 27 By Sujay Gupta
Move could backfire, as many Cong MLA's openly revolt against Chief Minister Digambar Kamat Panjim: Goa's politics has reached another new low, if that was possible. Babush Monserrate, charged with attempt to murder and arson, when he and his goons attacked the Panjim police station, ransacked it and injured 32 policemen, has been sworn in as a minister in the Goa government, in a desperate and shameful bid by the Congress high command, to protect the Digambar Kamat government in Goa. The swearing ceremony was attended among others by the top brass of the police and administration, who are also privately enraged and shocked by this development. Imagine the predicament of Director General of Police, who told reporters after the incident on February 19, "This is for the first time in my 40 years of career that I've seen a mob attack the police station. What's the difference between this and a Naxal attack if the police is targeted?". Despite discussions, they insisted that the PI be transferred immediately. Then the MLA, along with his goons, attacked our station, including the female staff." In fact Monserrate, when asked after the swearing in ceremony, whether he regretted the incident, remarked, "I do not regret that incident. I do not regret any incident." But Monserrate's induction has come at a price. The Congress was forced to extract the resignation of Law and Finance Minister Dayanand Narvekar, one of the seniormost ministers, in order to accommodate Monserrate, since there is a cap on the total number of ministers that Goa can have. Narvekar was asked to step down after he was formally charged with fraud in the ticket gate scam during the India-Australia one day international match in Goa. The security personnel turned around 15,000 spectators who had valid tickets away from the gates from the 30,000 capacity stadium, which was already full to its capacity, because of the sale of fake tickets. Narvekar was the head of the Goa Cricket Association when the ticket-gate scandal happened. However, these reasons are merely political excuses for a much larger game with its medley of characters. Nothing new in Goa's ever-running political circus. Monserrate, widely known for bringing down governments and forming them, almost brought down the Digambar Kamat government six months ago and supported his bete noire Manohar Parrikar, only to retreat tactically and support Kamat again, when the toppling bid failed. Far from being declared an untouchable, the Congress actually welcomed him back in its fold and promised him a cabinet berth. That promise, unfulfilled so far, has finally been honoured, but out of sheer desperation. Goa Unltd. has learnt that for the past three weeks, there have been hectic behind-the-scenes parleys to topple the Kamat government. This exercise has been led by Health Minister Vishwajeet Rane, the son of former Chief Minister and the present speaker of the Goa assembly Vishwajeet Rane. Babush Monserrate was present in most of the parleys. There were at least two specific ones at Vishwajeet Ranes residence at Miramar and at a popular Goan restaurant "Mums Kitchen". Members of the NCP, the MGP, current allies of the government were present in these meetings where it was openly decided to ask for a leadership change and bring back Pratap Singh Rane, or failing which, topple the government and try for an alternate government. Junior Rane, in fact, rushed to Delhi, a day after the meeting at Mums Kitchen to lobby with the High command to replace Digambar Kamt with his father as Chief Minister. This move hasn't yet paid off. Importantly, the restaurant meeting was attended even by three congress MLA's including Pandurang Madkaikar, who was recently dropped from the cabinet. Madkailkar told Goa Unltd., "Most of us want a leadership change. I went and clearly told the Chief Minister that I won't support him since he dropped me from the cabinet. If there is a leadership change, this government will continue. If not, who knows…" In fact, Madkaikar along with two other Congress MLAs Victoria Fernandes and Shyam Satardekar are the three soft targets for the opposition, who expect them to resign from the party, in the event of a major toppling bid. This is, therefore, going to be Kamat's biggest challenge. The threat from the NCP and the MGP aside, his own MLAs have raised banner of revolt. A very senior MLA and a former power minister from South Goa told Goa Unltd., "I too went to the Chief Minister and told him very clearly that he wasn't performing and had lost the confidence of most MLAs. Even though I do not support Pratap Singh Rane, there is no option but to bring him back." Kamat's only hope is the Congress High Command which has so far stood by him and is not keen to get Rane back since it would send wrong signals. In fact the AICC General Secretary in charge of Goa, Hari Prasad actually went to the home of Mauvin Goudinho, the deputy Speaker of the assembly, to plead with him not to be a part of any move to bring down the government. The big ask now is will Babush Monserrates induction save the government. The numbers game is very fragile, and indications are that Monserrate is only biding time to consolidate his lost ground. As a minister, he will, to an extent hope to get back his lost power and prestige. But insiders say that this is temporary and Monserrate may launch another attempt to bring down the government, and this time, he may even have the support of his arch enemy Dayanand Narvekar, who had to resign because of him. Clearly, there are no permament friends or foes in Goa's politics. For the record, though, Monserrate told reporters, "I thank the Congress for fulfilling its promise and I offer my continuous support to the Digambar Kamat government." Goa, though, has heard far too many of these promises to be taken in. Let's look at the numbers game to see how precarious it is: On paper, in a 39-member house (one seat is vacant with the death of Congress MLA from Pale Gurudas Gauns), the Congress has the support of 19 (Cong 17 + 2 from the Save Goa front who merged, Anil Salgaocar (Independent) 1 and Babush Monserrate (UGDP). On paper, it has the support of very fragile allies, 3 from NCP, 2 from MGP and Vishwajeet Rane (Independent), taking its tally to 25, while the opposition BJP has 14. However, if the six fragile allies decide to withdraw support, the strength of the government comes down to 19, and the strength of the opposition goes to 20.The government does fall. Further, Monserrate may go along with the dissidents and at least one congress MLAs may resign, making the chance of survival minimal. Unless there is rag tag alternate government with the BJPs involvement, there will be no other option but to dissolve the assembly and have a short spell of President's rule. The Congress has clearly lost more than it has gained. It has a discredited rogue MLA as minister, a disappointed bureaucracy and a demoralised police force. And to top it all, it faces the prospect of increased dissident activity, when it thought that Monserrate's induction would quell it. Yet again, the congress think tank in Delhi has woefully bungled in reading the situation in Goa. It has dropped one minister charged of selling fake tickets and replaced him another charged with attempt to murder for attacking a police station and brutally assaulting police personnel including women on duty. Is there a place to even hide in shame, for the party? Or perhaps there is no shame at all. -------- Goa number game: Total Strength: 39 (one seat vacant following the death of the Pale MLA) Ruling coalition: Congress 17 Independent (Anil Salgaocar) 1 Babush Monserrate (UGDP) 1 Total 19 (of this at least 2 may resign) Fragile allies who could bring down the government: NCP-3 MGP-2 Vishwajeet Rane (IND)-1 Total- 6 Opposition: BJP 14 Total 14 ======== Source: http://goaunltd.com/
