NEWSLINKS
US EDITION
COLUMNISTS
DIARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
ELECTIONS
ARCHIVES

Search Rediff

Rediff Shopping

Shop & gift from thousands of products!   Books     Music       Apparel   Jewellery   Flowers   More..      Safe Shopping

Sardinha won't share power with rebel Congmen

Sandesh Prabhudesai in Panaji

The nine-month-old ruling coalition in Goa, comprising the Goa People's Congress led by Chief Minister Francisco Sardinha and the Bharatiya Janata Party, has decided not to share power with the five-member Congress (SH), which split from the Congress recently.

The five MLAs led by Shaikh Hassan, shortly after the split on August 15, had indicated that they would like to be part of the government, though they had also said that their support to the GPC-BJP coalition was 'unconditional.'

While BJP leaders were the first to speak their mind and oppose the induction of Congress (SH) MLAs into the state Cabinet, they eventually succeeded in making Sardinha endorse their view.

The chief minister, is now trying to keep the defected flock in good humour. "It is not a defection, but an affection they have shown to our government," said Sardinha in the state capital the other day.

Sardinha now enjoys the support of 30 MLAs in the 40-member House. And though he has scored a psychological point over the BJP by splitting the opposition, it may not be time yet for him to call the GPC the 'real' Congress.

The Congress camp, led by its state chief Luizinho Faleiro, an arch rival of Sardinha, meanwhile, is licking its wounds. There is an uneasy calm in the party with none of their leaders making any statements.

The Sardinha camp claims that at least four of the remaining nine Congress MLAs want to cross over too.

Confirming the news that some of these Congressmen had come with a proposal to form a BJP-led coalition by sidelining the Sardinha camp, Parrikar said the proposal was rejected.

"The existing coalition will together face the next polls," he said.

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report