Goa: Cong says yes to SGF merger

New Delhi/ Panaji, January 21: The Congress High Command on Monday gave a green signal to the merger of the Save Goa Front (SGF) with the Congress. Churchill Alemao of the SGF met Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Monday and submitted an application requesting for merger of the SGF, which has two MLAs in the state assembly, with the Congress.

Atanasio Monserrate, an unattached MLA, has also approached the Congress leadership requesting to join the party. A decision on this has been kept pending, as it may attract anti-defection laws. Monserrate was expelled from the United Goans Democratic Party (UGDP), after he supported the Congress-led Government.

A coordination committee — comprising AICC General Secretary in charge of Goa, Goa Congress chief, Congress Legislature Party leader, NCP in charge of the state, SGF members and some Independents — was set up on Monday to sort out the differences among allies. The committee will have its first meeting shortly.

All allies, including the NCP MLAs — whose withdrawal of support to Digambar Kamat Government reduced it to minority and forced the Central leadership of the two parties to intervene and work out a compromise formula on Sunday — expressed their desire to maintain “status quo”, withdrawing their demand for a change in the portfolios of ministers, said sources. As per the compromise formula, there was to be a Cabinet reshuffle inducting Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) leader Ramkrishna Dhavalikar in the Cabinet. To prevent the entry of the MGP in the Government and the possibility of Alemao losing his PWD ministry, SGF leaders had rushed to Delhi.

The ruling front comprises the Congress with 16 members and NCP with three. If SGF and Monserrate merge with the Congress, the ruling coalition will have 22 members. The idea is to cut down the MGP and Independent MLA Vishwajit Rane to size.