Quit BJP if denied Porvorim ticket, supporters tell Shripad TNN | Jan 12, 2012, 05.19AM IST
PANAJI: While it is still uncertain whether member of parliament Shripad Naik will be in the political fray this assembly election, an NGO, BJP workers and well-wishers from Porvorim held a meeting on Tuesday at Ribandar and demanded that he should quit the BJP if denied a ticket. In a case of infighting evident within the state BJP for the first time, the party workers came out strongly against the BJP leadership for trying to keep Naik of state politics and asserted their support for Naik if he contested the assembly election from Porvorim constituency. After a four-hour-long meeting, the crowd was unanimous in its conclusion: That Naik has to contest the assembly election from Porvorim and that he should not backtrack from this decision under any circumstance. Stating that some senior party leaders are scared that Naik would become the chief minister if the BJP comes to power, a party worker said, "BJP's central leadership should take cognizance of what is happening in Goa, where dissent is being suppressed. Despotism in the BJP will not be tolerated." Speaking to mediapersons after the meeting, Naik said that the meeting was called by an NGO and his supporters due to the party's delay in announcing his entry into state politics. Replying to a question over whether he would quit the party if denied a ticket, Naik, overwhelmed by the show of support, said, "Party leaders in Goa and Delhi will let it come to such a point where I would have to quit the BJP." TOI had reported how the BJP is divided over the entry of Naik in state politics. Since the election date has been announced, Naik has maintained that he will contest the assembly election due to public demand and that a final decision would be taken by the BJP central parliamentary board soon. While leader of opposition Manohar Parrikar stated that six months ago the party had sent a report to the central leadership over Naik contesting from Porvorim, sources said that the ground reality is that the state's top leadership wants to reserve the Porovorim seat for an MGP candidate instead of Naik. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Quit-BJP-if-denied-Porvorim-ticket-supporters-tell-Shripad/articleshow/11456399.cms * * * When wild horses were tamed & saffron shook hands TNN Jan 1, 2012, 12.43AM IST For chief minister Digambar Kamat, who has mastered the art of political survival, the year 2011 turned out to be relatively better of as far as the stability of his government was concerned. >From the time he took over the reins of the state in June 2007, Kamat has devoted a lot of time and energy to firefighting and keeping his seat intact. Till mid-2010, he saw several plots to dislodge him nipped in the bud or failing to execute at the last moment. After opposition leader Manohar Parrikar failed to unseat Kamat in July-August 2007 through a coup, because of the 'umbrella cover' the state government enjoyed with the UPA-led centre, a group of seven coalition MLAs-called G7-tried hard for over three years but failed to install a new government. Not surprisingly, Kamat, at one instance, said, "The almighty has saved my government." Kamat, known for his political acumen-having mastered the art from speaker Pratapsingh Rane and IIT-politician Parrikar-has indeed had the last laugh. Using his political skills with the Congress high command, he is learnt to have got health minister Vishwajit Rane and education minister Atanasio 'Babush' Monserrate to join the Congress. Once the stables were bolted, the danger of any wild horses destabilizing the government faded. In the process Kamat created history which went unnoticed-he is the first chief minister to complete a full term since Goa attained statehood in 1987. Even former chief minister Pratapsingh didn't survive the moves of detractors. In the post-statehood period, in fact, no government in Goa completed even four years. Even the indomitable Parrikar couldn't handle the perpetrators of defections despite getting the anti-defection law changed under the NDA government at the Centre and making politicians resign their seats and face elections for switching sides. The NCP, on the other hand, has faced turmoil from the first half of 2011 itself. Following some allegations against revenue minister Jose Philip D'Souza and tourism minister Nilkanth Halarnkar, the two were asked by their high command to resign. They virtually defied the high command thanks to 12 MLAs and ministers of the Congress rallying behind them. On the initiative of Congress general secretary Vijai Sardesai, the group led by PWD minister Churchill Alemao "threatened" to withdraw support to the government if D'Souza and Halarnkar were dropped from the cabinet. The pressure tactics worked and the two ministers continued in office while their party colleague and former tourism minister, outgoing Benaulim MLA Francisco 'Mickky' Pacheco, had to fend for himself. The first half of 2011 also witnessed a fiercely fought election for the control of the civic body of the state's capital-the Corporation of City of Panaji. Monserrate kept his word of turning the CCP polls into a semi-final match with Panaji MLA Parrikar, but three months later, abandoned the battle ground apparently after a deal was struck. Sources said that denials notwithstanding, the BJP strategist took the lead in the compromise as Monserrate has the capacity of deciding the fate of candidates for the Panaji seat. In 2007 too a deal was struck after which Monserrate supported Parrikar leading to the defeat of Dinar Tarcar. Observers say it is not a mystery why the BJP failed to file a disqualification petition against Monserrate when he joined the Congress party. In 2007, Monserrate was elected on a UGDP ticket. But it was only Vishwajit, who quit as an independent MLA together with Monserrate to embrace the Congress, who had to face a byelection. Analysts say that BJP considers Monserrate an important factor in Panaji for assembly elections. Parrikar knows that Monserrate cannot be ignored in Panaji and that if he antagonizes the Taleigao MLA, he would be tied down in the Panaji constituency just as he had to 'stay put' in Panaji for the CCP polls. No wonder the BJP has been quiet over the foreign currency smuggling case. After stalling proceedings of the Goa assembly, the saffron guns went silent against Monserrate, who was stopped by Mumbai customs for carrying currency beyond permissible limits while trying to board a flight to Dubai in March. The issue will be raised again only if Monserrate takes on Parrikar directly or by proxy in the assembly polls, analysts say. During the monsoon, the Congress saw much heat generated over the Youth Congress elections. The Alemao brothers-Churchill and Joaquim-to register their protest against the disqualification of Valanka for the president's post, went to the extent of resigning from their respective ministries only to reverse their decision a couple of days later. But the Youth Congress elections widened the differences between Churchill and his one time advisor Sardesai, as the latter fully backed the candidature of Pratima Coutinho at the cost of spoiling his relations with the Alemao clan. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-01-01/goa/30578800_1_digambar-kamat-wild-horses-education-minister * * * 'Housing loans for govt servants if BJP returns to power' TNN Dec 21, 2011, 01.51AM IST PANAJI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday announced that it would float a scheme for government employees to purchase residential houses at reasonable rate 'if the party comes to power'. This proclamation comes within a day of chief minister Digambar Kamat declaring a one-time bonus of 5,000 to 'C' and 'D' class employees and pensioners. Speaking to mediapersons, opposition leader Manohar Parrikar said, "The 5,000 bonus has no meaning and it will not change the life of our government employees; but if BJP government comes to power then we will provide housing at reasonable rates." "They should take the 5,000 bonus announced by the chief minister. But if they would like to have their own house within the next five years, then the BJP assures to give government employees, who have completed five years in services and who do not own a house, an opportunity to buy an house at reasonable rates," he added. When questioned, Parrikar denied that BJP's announcement was to lure the electorate in view of the forthcoming assembly elections. While pointing out that while the BJP government was in power, he had introduced a scheme through which loans ranging from 3-10 lakh were provided to government employees on 3% interest rate, the former chief minister said this was now discontinued. Referring to the hoardings highlighting the 'development of the state and good governance', the opposition leader said, "The good governance of the government was visible on Liberation Day when garbage was burning at the Campal ground while the main programme was being held." http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-12-21/goa/30541922_1_rate-manohar-parrikar-government-employees --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Protect Goa's natural beauty Support Goa's first Tiger Reserve Sign the petition at: http://www.goanet.org/petition/petition.php ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
