Parrikar Govt on slippery grounds
29 January 2005 22:58 IST The Bharatiya Janata Party-led government in Goa is on slippery grounds as two of its MLAs have resigned while two ministers supporting the government have also quit the cabinet.
Congress MP Churchill Alemao, while confirming the news, told rediff.com that they would topple the government by today and install the Congress government shortly.
Babush Monserette, who was stripped off the key portfolio by chief minister Manohar Parrikar two days ago, resigned as the party legislator today, along with his BJP colleague Isidore Fernandes.
On the other hand, PWD minister Sudin Dhawalikar (MGP) and Water Resources Minister Philip Neri Rodrigues (Independent) have also withdrawn their support to the government, while quitting as ministers.
Though Tourism Minister Mathany Saldhana, the third minister belonging to the UGDP, is away in Spain, his party functionaries have also submitted a letter to Governor S C Jamir, withdrawing the party support to the Parrikar government.
Jamir, who had left for Nagaland trip yesterday, cut short his trip and flew back to Goa from Mumbai today morning.
Monserette had already quit from the cabinet yesterday, after he was stripped off the key portfolio of town and country planning. Fernandes, his colleague who has resigned, was elected the BJP legislator two months ago after quitting the Congress.
Even after the resignations of these two legislators, BJP is still strong with 19 members in the 40-memebr House. Sole legislators of the MGP, the UGDP and the independent supported Parrikar government.
The 15-member Congress, on the other hand, was having support of sole NCP legislator Dr Wilfred de Souza. It would strengthen to 18 if two ministers, who have quit the cabinet, join their camp.
“You just wait and see how we topple the government, said Alemao, without disclosing further strategy.
