Governor recommends President's rule
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 09 February 1999 11:05 ISTGoa governor Lt Gen (Retd) J F R Jacob has recommended to the central government imposition of President’s rule in the state while making his intention clear to dissolve the House.
The official spokesman confirmed today morning that governor sent a report regarding the political developments in the state late last night to the President of India. No details of the governor’s recommendation were spelt out to the journalists.
Highly reliable sources at the Raj Bhavan however disclosed that report has also been sent to the union home ministry, urging the central government to take a decision to recommend immediate dissolution of the House and imposition of President’s rule under article 356 to the President of India.
Former union law minister Ramakant Khalap, who met the governor today morning along with coalition leader Dr Wilfred de Souza and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak party president Surendra Sirsat, said dissolution and President’s rule is imminent.
"As no political party is in a position to form the government and since all the political parties have demanded dissolution, it is just a formality now to take a decision in this regard", opines Khalap.
The central cabinet at its meeting, probably to be chaired by union home minister L K Advani in the absence of prime minister Atel Bihari Vajpayee, is expected to take a formal decision by today and would meet the President tonight.
Sources in the BJP revealed that even Vajpayee was consulted before leaving for his foreign tour regarding the possibility of the President’s rule, besides other central leaders and everyone was in favour of invoking article 356 to impose President’s rule in Goa in case of political instability.
Meanwhile, de Souza has alleged that the BJP has backstabbed the coalition by withdrawing its stand to support his government at last minute. He had earlier staked claim with the support of 21 legislators in the 40-member House, including the MGP and the BJP, besides his Goa Rajiv Congress.
Refuting this allegation, BJP spokesperson Manohar Parrikar however said they would have never changed their stand if de Souza had given them firm assurance to recommend dissolution of the House immediately after forming the government.
On the contrary, Parrikar alleges that de Souza was planning to rejoin the Congress party lock, stock and barrel by merging his GRC into it, after forming the government. "We insisted on a firm assurance because of this, which de Souza kept on avoiding despite several requests", claims Parrikar.
While politicians in Goa are still involved in blaming each other for bringing a situation of dissolution and the President’s rule, people at large seemed relieved as the disgusting musical chair has finally ended, paving way for fresh elections.
Goa, it appears, would now face Assembly elections by May end, preponing it by six months. The tourist state was scheduled to go for polls by November end.
