PANAJI, FEB 7: The beleaguered Congress Government in Goa today geared up to face the vote of confidence in the special session of the State Legislative Assembly on Monday, while the Opposition was also girding the loin in an attempt to outwit the ruling party.The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) has issued a whip, directing all its members to vote in favour of the motion of confidence in the Luzhino Faleiro Government, while the Opposition under the leadership of Dr Wilfred Desouza, would meet here this evening to finalise their strategy.Three Chief Ministers and special session of the House for a fourth vote of confidence in a Government in little over six months, is unprecedented in Goan politics. After the fall of Pratapsinh Rane Government in July last, Dezouza was sworn in as the Chief Minister but in November his Government collapsed after four members from his Goa Rajiv Congress (GRC) and Independent MLA John Manuel Vaz deserted him, reducing his Government to a minority. Desouza resigned onNovember 26 last, ahead of the trust vote. Faleiro, who succeeded Desouza, won the vote of confidence four days later on November 30 last with a wafer-thin majority of 21 in the 40 member House. The resignation by two Ministers - John Manuel Vaz and Deu Mandrekar - on February 3 triggered off the crisis for his Government which is slated to seek the trust vote once again tomorrow on the directive of Governor Lt Gen (retd) J F R Jacob. In a related development, the Congress has filed a petition with the Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly Tomazinho Cardozo seeking disqualification of Mandrekar under the Tenth schedule of the Constitution. The petitioner and Legislative Affairs Minister, Wilfred Mesquita, has sought an interim relief restraining Mandrekar from exercising his right as a member of the House including voting.
