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Goa confidence vote on Tuesday

Sandesh Prabhudesai in Panaji

With the Bombay high court quashing and setting aside Goa speaker's order disqualifying ten members of the Goa Rajiv Congress, Chief Minister Dr Wilfred de Souza is now seeking the confidence vote on Tuesday morning.

Meanwhile, all the members of the coalition government -- the Goa Rajiv Congress, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party -- have demanded that Speaker Thomazinho Cardoz step down in view of the strictures passed by the high court on the speaker's partisan approach in the 40-day episode.

The Congress, to which party Cardoz actually belongs, is, however, preparing to challenge the high court order in the Supreme Court. Though Cardoz refused to comment on the high court order, former chief minister Pratapsingh Rane disclosed that they would try and seek justice through the Supreme Court.

Two more petitions are already pending before the Supreme Court, the hearings for which will begin on Monday. In view of today's high court judgment, the matter that came up for hearing this morning in the apex court was postponed to next week.

Speaker Cardoz has already challenged the earlier high court order staying his disqualification order. Rane has also challenged the high court order, rejecting to study the Goa governor's dismissal of the Congress government on June 29 while installing Dr de Souza as chief minister.

"Today's high court order has once again proved that the governor's action was correct. In the democracy, ultimately, numbers count," Dr de Souza said, reacting to the high court order.

Meanwhile, the ruling coalition is planning to move a no-confidence motion against the speaker by serving a 14-day notice tomorrow. Who can replace him is, however, still uncertain since all capable persons have already seized ministerial berths.

"We will see that a senior, experienced and learned person is installed as the speaker so that the speaker's office will not be abused like what Cardoz did," says BJP leader Shripad Naik. The BJP, which is supporting the government from outside, has however refused to accept the speaker's post in the existing assembly.

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