Crisis in Goa, NCP ministers may resign

Hectic political activity in Goa is on the cards with Central emissaries of both the ruling coalition partners — Congress and NCP — arriving here on Thursday to defuse the sudden crisis that has gripped the six-month-old Congress-led coalition government which appears to have lost its majority.

All the three NCP MLAs, two of them ministers, have decided to form a separate legislature wing to avoid disqualification from the House. According to a source, two NCP ministers — Francisco X (Micky) Pacheco and Jose Philip — will resign from the Digmabar Kamat government on Thursday. Others backing them are NCP MLA Nilkanth Harlankar, two independent MLAs including a minister Vishwajit Rane, son of Speaker Pratapsinh Rane. It's learnt that Vishwajit too is likely to resign on Thursday.

These MLAs are looking to explore the possibility of forming a government with the help of "like minded parties''. Vishwajit is also unhappy with the government as some Congress leaders have accused him of obstructing the introduction of the finance bill on Wednesday, with the Speaker adjourning the House until Thursday. Meanwhile, opposition BJP has sought the Goa government's dismissal.

The other independent MLA, Atanasio Babush Monserrate, also said that he was upset with the functioning of the government. Babush has been demanding that the controversial IT park in his constituency should not be allowed to continue "in its present form''. With 21 MLAs needed to run a government in the 40-member house, Congress with 16 seats heads a coalition government with NCP (3), Save Goa Front (2) and two independent MLAs giving it the magic figure of 23. The BJP has 14, MGP 2 and they have one independent backing them. If the six quit, the government will fall.

Courtesy:timesofindia.com
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