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Goa Congress faces threat of revolt

Sandesh Prabhudesai in Panaji

Newly elected Congress legislature party leader Luizinho Faleiro might be sworn in today amidst confusion over who would find a berth in his ministry.

Sources said the issue might snowball into a major revolt within the party, which has gained a simple majority in the 40-member state assembly for the first time in 15 years.

Faleiro has denied that 10 of his 21 legislators have gone into hiding, but declined to give a commitment that all would be present for the swearing-in function at the Cabo Raj Bhavan today. "They would be invited and they have to be there," he said.

The sources said that former chief minister Ravi Naik has been planning to split the party and join the Nationalist Congress Party, led by Sharad Pawar, to form a coalition government along with the four-member Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party. The Bharatiya Janata Party might lend outside support to the proposed alliance.

MGP president Surendra Sirsat has backed the proposed coalition government. Former Union minister Ramakant Khalap, who is close to Pawar, has reportedly endorsed the plan.

However, senior BJP leader Manohar Parrikar maintained silence over the issue.

Among the 21 elected Congress legislators, there are six former chief ministers and seven former ministers. Six of them would be kept out of the ministry as Faleiro has been firm on honouring Congress president Sonia Gandhi's assurance that the ministry would have only seven members.

Faleiro refused to disclose when the cabinet would be sworn in or who would be part of it.

He said Goa Rajiv Congress MLA-elect Francisco D'Souza would support the Congress government.

D'Souza, who had defected from the Congress last year to join a coalition with the opposition, has told the media in Faleiro's presence, "I have decided to provide issue-based support to the government."

Faleiro is also trying to seek the support of two United Goans Democratic Party legislators.

Considering the situation, even the Faleiro camp is still not sure whether he would be able to win the confidence vote smoothly. The greedy games of defections and counter-defections might continue in Goa if most of the tainted Congress leaders are kept out of power for too long.

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