Goa Congress admits to crisis over Pacheco, can drop NCP (Lead)
December 23rd, 2010 - 5:13 pm ICT by IANSPanaji, Dec 23 (IANS) Admitting to a crisis in the Congress-led government over tainted Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Mickky Pacheco’s induction in the Goa cabinet, state party chief Subhash Shirodkar Thursday said the alliance partner could be dropped - if push came to shove.The party chief was speaking to reporters outside the chief minister’s residence where he, along with Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, met eight of the dissident Congress legislators.
“I have heard them all. There is genuine reason for their dissidence. We have listened to their grievances and passed them on to the high command. We will take a decision on the induction of Pacheco in the cabinet by today (Thursday) evening,” Shirodkar said.
“If it comes to that, we will go alone. I have always said that the Congress in Goa is strong enough to run the government alone,” he added.
Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Churchill Alemao leads a group of 10 dissident Congress legislators, including four ministers, who have threatened to topple the government in Goa if Pacheco - Alemao’s sworn political rival - is inducted in the 12-member cabinet.
At a press conference held late Wednesday, Alemao said: “The Congress has principles. If they can drop a chief minister in Maharashtra after allegations of corruption, how can they allow a tainted minister in the Goa cabinet.”
“We will topple the government if Mickky is inducted and go to the people’s court,” Alemao said.
On Thursday, before meeting the dissident legislators, the chief minister met Goa Governor S.S. Sidhu and apprised him on the political developments, spread over the last one week.
The current political crisis was precipitated after the NCP high command earlier this week directed the two NCP ministers, Jose Phillip D’Souza and Nilkanth Halarnkar, to leave their posts and re-induct Pacheco as a minister in the cabinet in turn.
Pacheco has been booked for culpable homicide in connection with the death of his alleged lover Nadia Torrado. She died after consuming rat poison after an alleged spat with the minister.
- 10 Congress dissidents threaten to topple Goa government - Dec 22, 2010
- Chavan had to go, how can Pacheco come, ask Goa Congress dissidents - Dec 23, 2010
- Congress rejects Pawar's demand for berth to Pacheco - Dec 27, 2010
- Two NCP ministers quit Congress-led Goa government - Mar 14, 2011
- Pacheco seeks anticipatory bail; cabinet replacement likely - Jun 08, 2010
- Goa gets new minister, Mickky key suspect in death - Jun 08, 2010
- 'Congressmen with murder charges will be sacked' - Dec 27, 2010
- Goa minister resigns over companion's death (Lead) - Jun 05, 2010
- Two Goa ex-chief ministers, six ministers defeated - Mar 06, 2012
- Goa PWD minister accused of corruption - Apr 18, 2011
- Goa to take up its poor portrayal with film director - Mar 30, 2011
- Goa NCP-Congress bury differences after midnight meeting - Mar 22, 2010
- Pacheco granted bail in culpable homicide case - Jul 26, 2010
- Eight incumbent cabinet ministers lose polls in Goa - Mar 06, 2012
- Ministers threaten to topple Goa government, Kamat unfazed (Lead) - Mar 19, 2010
Tags: alliance partner, chief minister, churchill alemao, culpable homicide, dissidence, genuine reason, goa congress, kamat, maharashtra, member cabinet, nationalist congress party, pacheco, party chief, political crisis, political developments, political rival, pwd minister, shirodkar, sidhu, subhash