Congress ministers refuse to part with portfolios

Panaji, Feb 10 The Congress leadership today failed to resolve the issue relating to prevail any of Congress ministers in the Digambar Kamat government to resign from the post to make way for induction of Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party nominee as part of the consensus arrived between Congress high command and the alliance partners after the recent political upheaval in the state.
The all-India Congress committee general secretary in-charge of Goa desk, Mr B K Hari Prasad, who had arrived here late yesterday evening held series of meetings with Congress ministers, party officials and the Chief Minister to find solution to the vexed problem but indications were that he did not succeed.
With no solution is sight the only option left for the Congress leadership is to exercise its power to order removal of one of the Congress ministers, to pave the way for induction of MGP nominee. However, sources in the party said that such a decision could have its own repercussions with a group of Congress MLAs having already decided to oppose dropping of any minister.
Among those who met the AICC official, besides the Chief Minister, were Mr Churchill Alemao, the Public Works Department Minister, Mr Pandurang Madkaikar, the Transport Minister, Mr Joaquim Alemao, the Urban Development Minister, and Mr Aleixo Sequeira, the Power Minister. The last three named figure in the list of probables who could face the axe.
The Congress ministers who met Mr Hari Prasad refused to accept any other post in lieu of their ministerial berth. These ministers were visibly annoyed when they left the venue of the meeting and refused to offer any comment.
The AICC general-secretary, however, told that the Chief Minister would announce the name of the minister to be dropped from the cabinet tomorrow, giving indications that party leadership having failed to win over its nominees in the cabinet to resign has decided to “remove” one of them.
Courtesy:navahindtimes.com
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