Kamat Govt survives, but loose ends remain

The three-day old crisis facing the Digambar Kamat Government in Goa, caused by the resignation of NCP ministers...

The three-day old crisis facing the Digambar Kamat Government in Goa, caused by the resignation of NCP ministers, looked set to blow over with the Central leadership of the Congress and NCP on Saturday arriving at a compromise formula with rebels in New Delhi.

The formula comprises a Cabinet reshuffle, setting up of a coordination committee and 8220;proportionate8221; power sharing arrangements in the context of appointments to Government-controlled boards, corporations and agencies. Kamat has been asked to work out the specifics of portfolio allocation in consultation with parties concerned. Ramkrishna Dhavalikar of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party MGP will be inducted in the Cabinet.

8220;The crisis is resolved. The Chief Minister will go back to Goa and then announce the formula,8221; AICC general secretary in charge of Goa B K Hari Prasad told The Sunday Express. NCP leader Praful Patel also said the crisis had been resolved.

8220;All NCP MLAs, MGP MLAs, Independent Vishwajit Rane and Save Goa Front member have decided to support the Digamber Kamat Government,8221; Patel said. 8220;All matters have been solved,8221; he said. Patel made the announcement in the presence of Kamat, Hari Prasad, state Congress chief Francisco Sardinha, rebel NCP leader Mickky Pacheco, Independent MLA Vishwajit Rane and two MGP MLAs.

Despite the compromise, there remain some loose ends to be tied in Panaji. One of the powerful dissidents, Atanasio Monserrate, told The Sunday Express, 8220;There should not be any Cabinet expansion. We are already supporting the Government and will continue to do it unconditionally.8221;

Sources among dissidents said there was also a division in the dissident MLAs8217; camp. A section of them was more opposed to Rane Independent and Pacheco than to the Chief Minister.

8220;The culprit behind the crisis is Vishwajit Rane. He started this to make his father Chief Minister,8221; Monserrate told The Sunday Express. According to him, Vishwajit Rane had teamed up with the BJP to make his father Pratapnsinh Rane the CM offering plum posts to himself and other MLAs. The elder Rane is the Speaker of the Assembly. Monserrate has now told Kamat that he was happy with the Government and Kamat could keep the team of his choice. Monserrate group is supporting Churchill Alemao who may get to keep his PWD portfolio.

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As per a deal being worked out by Monserrate and Kamat, the former would quit the UGDP and contest from his Taleigao Assembly seat on a Congress ticket.