G7 meets Pawar, resolves to be united
PTI, PANAJI | 28 February 2010 17:35 IST
In an apparent forewarning to the ruling Congress, the non-Congress legislative group of the ruling coalition met Nationalist Congress Party supreme Sharad Pawar in Mumbai today.
They have decided to continue to remain united as G7 (Group of 7) in their future course of action.
The seven legislators are as follows:
Nationalist Congress Party (3) - Jose Philip D'Souza (revenue minister), Mickky Pacheco (tourism minister) and Nilkanth Halarnkar (MLA);
Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (2) - Sudin Dhawalikar (transport minister) and Dipak Dhawalikar (MLA);
United Goans Democratic Party (1): Babush Monseratte (education minister) and
Independent (1): Vishwajeet Rane (health minister).
"The entire group has pledged to remain united in the interest of the state," NCP spokesperson Prakash Binsale told PTI over phone from Mumbai today.
The decision attains importance on the backdrop of recent move by state government to drop MGP minister Sudin Dhawalikar, from the state cabinet.
Congress MLA Pandurang Madkaikar was to be accommodated in his place.
The move was upset by Pawar, who questioned the Congress act of dropping a minister, without consulting the G7 and none of the alliance partners.
Interestingly, Vishwajeet Rane, an independent legislator and son of Goa legislative assembly speaker Pratapsingh Rane, is also a part of group seven. He was also in Mumbai today.
Binsale said all the legislators getting united does not indicate any crisis-like situation. "They are committed for the stability of the state and overall development," he commented.
When asked about the possible moves to replace chief minister Digambar Kamat with a new face, Binsale said the change in guard is entirely a Congress issue.
"We will have no say in it. They need to choose their own leader," he said.
The rift between the Congress and the supporting legislators is getting clearer since last month.
NCP leader Praful Patel, during a state level NCP convention last month, had cautioned the Congress against taking NCP for granted.
The G7, which had gone into hibernation since last two years, suddenly became active during the recent political crisis, when five Congress legislators spoke against Kamat.
Uniting for increasing bargaining power for lucrative portfolios is necessary. But if this same unity is shown while fighting for the development of Goa, routing out corruption, putting a stop to the ill effects of activities like mining, gambling, younger generation falling prey to drugs and liquor, increasing crime rate etc., the common man would feel good and pray to God for their prosperity!