CM asks for floor test on 3 Feb
31 January 2005 22:52 IST The Bharatiya Janata Party-led government in Goa has formally requested the Governor to convene the Assembly session on 3 February to prove his majority on the floor of the house.
The Governor’s decision however is still awaited.
Following an emergency cabinet meeting convened today morning after tourism minister Mathany Saldhana arrived from Spain, chief minister Manohar Parrikar expressed confidence that he can win the trust vote, in spite of being in minority.
“What is the matter if I am in minority? What requires is to prove the majority in the House. I will manage it”, said Parrikar.
Though Saldhana’s United Goans Democratic Party has formally joined the Congress-led alliance to form the alternate government, the tourism minister told the crowded press conference that he is not interested in power-hungry games for personal gains.
“I was neither consulted before withdrawing the support nor the decision was conveyed to me by my party leaders”, said Saldhana, who arrived from Mumbai today early morning.
With Saldhana joining the BJP camp, the ruling party is now having 17 members on its side, excluding the speaker.
On the other hand, the Congress-led alliance is still strong with 18 members. Besides 15 Congressmen, the alliance consists one member each of the Nationalist Congress Party, the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and an independent.
Meanwhile, speaker Viswhas Satarkar has also accepted resignation of Pandurang Madkaikar, former transport minister. While four BJP legislators had resigned, his letter was with withheld by the speaker.
