New Delhi, January 19
The Goa government survived yet another crisis after the Congress agreed to accommodate the rebel legislators in the cabinet as part of a compromise worked out with the unhappy allies.
The Goa cabinet is expected to be reshuffled within the next few days and key portfolios like finance and PWD will be reshuffled, it is learnt.
The crisis was resolved after two days of hectic consultations conducted by NCP leader Praful Patel, AICC general secretary B.K. Hariprasad and state leaders. Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and his colleagues, who rushed to Delhi yesterday, had met Congress president Sonia Gandhi to brief her about the crisis to his government.
Although Patel and Hari Prasad refused to divulge the details of the compromise formula, it is learnt that the two rebel NCP legislators and independent MLA Vishwajit Rane are likely to be given ministerial berths. Babush Monserate, the architect of the controversial Goa regional plan opposed by the people of Goa, who was one of the MLAs who withdrew support along with the NCP MLAs is also likely to be inducted into the Goa cabinet.
Patel told mediapersons that the Chief Minister would announce the details of this formula on his return to Goa tomorrow where he would also consult his party colleagues.
Stating that all matters have been resolved, Patel said legislators belonging to the NCP and Save Goa Front have agreed to support the Kamat government. The rebel legislators, who arrived here today for talks, were also present when Patel made the announcement.
The Congress government led by CM Digambar Kamat had been reduced to a minority after four MLAs, including the NCP ministers, withdrew support on Wednesday. While the Congress blamed the SEZ lobby for the political instability in the state, the rebels had their own set of complaints against the Chief Minister and finance minister Dayanand Narvekar of the Congress.
