Cong’s Goa trouble: MLAs threaten to topple govt on Pacheco issue

NCP chief Sharad Pawar wants two party MLAs dropped from Cabinet to make way for Pacheco.

The Congress party in Goa today said the state government is headed for a possible political crisis after ten of its legislators publicly threatened to topple it,opposing NCP MLA Mickey Pacheco’s proposed induction into the Cabinet.

“These (legislators) are serious about their threat. If a group pulls out from the government,then serious crisis is likely to occur,” Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Subhash Shirodkar told reporters outside chief minister’s residence in Panaji.

A group of ten Congress legislators has threatened to dethrone the state government,if Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislator Fransisco Mickey Pacheco is inducted in the cabinet.

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They have said that Congress high command should immediately come down to Goa and sort out the crisis.

However,Shirodkar said the party is trying to sort out the matter at the local level without involving the high command in it.

“If the matter is not sorted out by evening then we will approach the high command,” he said.

The GPCC President said the Congress party has no issues in inducting Pacheco in the cabinet,except for the dissidents,who are getting vociferous with their demands.

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Responding to a question,Shirodkar said the dissidents are partially justified in opposing Pacheco’s induction. The leader,however,refused to speak further on the issue.

Goa Chief Minister Digamber Kamat,who was directed by NCP chief Sharad Pawar to drop two of its ministers and induct Pacheco,met Goa Governor Dr S S Sidhu in the morning.

The chief minister said he has briefed the Governor about the political situation.

He also met dissident legislators at his residence accompanied by Shirodkar. “I will prepare a comprehensive report about what dissidents feel and will submit it to the high command by evening,” Kamat said.

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The CM said Pacheco would not be inducted till the Congress high command gives its nod for the proposal.

The political trouble was triggered after NCP wanted two of its ministers — Jose Philip D’Souza and Nilkant Halarnkar — to be dropped from the Cabinet for anti party activities.

NCP legislator Fransisco Micky Pacheco was tipped to be inducted in the Cabinet in place of these two ministers.

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