Revolt in Cong weakens Goa Govt

PANAJI, JANUARY 20: The five-month long Luizinho Faleiro government in Goa is on the verge of collapse with at least 11 legislators includ...

PANAJI, JANUARY 20: The five-month long Luizinho Faleiro government in Goa is on the verge of collapse with at least 11 legislators including prominent ministers breaking away from the Congress party. The rebels led by Health minister Fransisco Sardinha, Agriculture minister Dayanand Narvekar, Education minister Subash Shirodkar, Transport minister Somnath Zuwarkar and seven other MLAs have staked the claim to form an alternative government.

They are being supported by the Bhartiya Janata Party with 10 MLAs, an independent and former chief minister Wilfred D8217;Souza, the lone leader of the Nationalist Congress Party.

The breakaway group is trying to pull in more members from the ruling group before Faleiro has time to react. 8220;Prakash Velip who split from the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party to join the Congress two months ago is still undecided about joining us.8221; Zuwarkar told journalists outside Speaker Pratapsinh Rane8217;s office where the breakaway group were holed up. The breakaway group is expected to elect Sardinha as its leader. Members of the BJP are however discussing the possibility of joining the new government.

Chief Minister Faleiro who was desperately trying to hold his flock together at his Altinho residence put on a brave front before journalists. 8220;All the MLAs are with me, there is no split,8221; he insisted.

The first hint of the political crisis in Goa became evident on Thursday afternoon when deputy speaker Arecio D8217;Souza resigned from his post. He has now cast his lot with the breakway group. The revolt was sparked after Faleiro told the local media that he was contemplating dropping at least two of his ministers for campaigning for the BJP in the just concluded Lok Sabha elections.

Large-scale rebellion within the Congress ensured the BJP victory in both the LS seats including South Goa where the minority Catholic community is in a dominant position.

The breakaway group includes several MLAs who were wooed by Faleiro from the United Goans Democratic Party, the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and the Natinalist Congress Party. In fact NCP legislator Francis D8217;Souza who is part of the breakaway group joined the Congress party just three weeks ago. The ruling Congress party which had a simple majority however increased its strength by encouraging defections in rival parties.