In Goa, Congress pulls out all stops to halt BJP

With the Digambar Kamat Government in Goa reduced to a minority and barely managing to stay alive for Monday’s Assembly session...

With the Digambar Kamat Government in Goa reduced to a minority and barely managing to stay alive for Monday’s Assembly session, the focus has now shifted to the Raj Bhavan following Governor S C Jamir’s return from Delhi on Friday.

The Congress MLAs demanded that Jamir suspend the Assembly as the BJP and its allies were reportedly offering huge amounts of money to ruling party MLAs to get them to defect. On the other hand, the newly-formed Goa Democratic Alliance leaders under the leadership of Manohar Parrikar officially met the Governor and demanded the dismissal of the Kamat Government.

Meanwhile Chief Minister Kamat, who met the Governor on Friday evening, told The Indian Express that he had impressed upon Jamir that everything had to be decided in the Assembly as it was in session. “At any cost the BJP should not be allowed to form the Government as it does not have the requisite numbers and it only wants to buy the Congress MLAs with the money collected from the regional development plan,” he said.

“I think the Governor will not interfere with the working of the Assembly and has to decide after the voting on Monday,” he added.

On Friday, the Congress also made an attempt to woo back Save Goa Front leader Churchill Alemao into its fold, but in vain. Alemao categorically refused to relent. “I have already committed to form the Government with BJP and there are no options left,” he said. “What right have they got in seek my support for their Government, when they have done everything to humiliate me?” he asked.

The Congress was also trying to discuss power-sharing with Independent MLA and iron ore exporter Anil Salgaokar, Chairman of the newly formed GDA.

According to sources, Kamat sought the support of Salgaonkar and his son. However, Salgaokar refused his help on the grounds that the Congress had done little to help his constituency even after he extended unconditional support.

Story continues below this ad

Meanwhile, Congress sources said they were not interested in talks with lone United Democratic Party member Atanosio Monserrate, who was said to have masterminded the present impasse. “We have told our leaders that we will hold discussions with everybody but Monserrate,” a party functionary said.

There is tremendous pressure on the Congress from prominent NGOs and specially the strong Church not to bow to the wishes of the builders and construction lobby who want to revive the old Goa development regional plan which was scrapped in January 2007.

On the other hand, BJP today decided to take its flock to a safer place, outside the state. They might be taken to Bangalore or Rajasthan.