Putting at rest speculation about the survival of the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Goa, the assembly on Monday night passed the Appropriation Bill, 2004 in an anticlimax of sorts, even as Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said he had heard of a threat to "bump off" his son from "one of the MLA's".
"I have heard from common friends that one person did say that he would bump off my son in the USA for a $100, but I do not pay much attention to such statements. They come out of frustration," Parrikar told the House during his reply on the bill.
The bill's passage assumed significance in the wake of intense speculation on the course to be taken by independent MLA Filip Neri Rodrigues and MGP member Sudin Dhavalikar, whose withdrawal of support would have endangered the slender majority of the Parikkar ministry, which enjoys the support of 22 (BJP and ally MGP) in the 40-member House.
Earlier, Mandrem MLA Laxmikant Parsekar had indicated in the House that there had been threats to the CM's children from one of the MLAs.
While Parrikar said he had heard from common friends of such a threat, he declined to take any action in spite of urging by the treasury benches.
"First of all it was not said to me directly. Secondly, I do not react to such statements. They are only made by people who react to every small thing," he said.