MARGAO, JAN 26
NCP legislator Mickky Pacheco has said that he would like the Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly Pratapsing Rane to pronounce his ruling on the question of the chief whip and the NCP legislature party leader in the Assembly before the coming Assembly session.
Speaking to Herald on the sidelines of a felicitation function at Margao on Wednesday, the former Tourism Minister reiterated that the Speaker has no role to play in deciding who ought to be the leader of a political party in the Assembly saying these questions fall within the domain of a political party.
“Our party constitution is very clear on the issue. The party’s chief whip and the leader of the Legislature party is decided by the party leadership and not by the Speaker”, he said, and recalled that the NCP leader in the House was appointed by then party president Dr Wilfred de Souza.
Replying to a question, he said “I don’t think the speaker has got anything to do with the decision”. He, however, hastened to add that though the Speaker is a member of the ruling party, he will play a neutral role in deciding on the party’s stand on the chief whip and the Legislature party leader. “But, the speaker is from the ruling party and I can seen what would come next from the Speaker”, he added.
Commenting on the Congress leaders stand at the workers convention at Margao that the Congress can win the coming polls on its own, Pacheco reminded the Congress leaders that he and the NCP are also fully geared up to contest the coming Assembly polls on their own. “What they have uttered at Margao on Sunday is their perception. The tongue does not have a bone. What the Congress leaders have said at the workers meeting is for public consumption”, he said, adding that the Congress leaders should realize whether they would get elected as MLAs first.
“Today, they are talking of wining so many seats. But, they should realize whether the people would re-elect them as MLAs”, he said and recalled an instance wherein a political leader from South Goa had lobbied hard before the polls to become the Chief Minister, but had to bite the dust in the hustings.
On the question of fielding candidates, Pacheco said “I am all prepared for that. The candidates have been almost finalized. I will not take back my word. Mickky will field candidates in all the 40 seats”.
‘Bid to save life cost me jail’
MARGAO: Former Tourism Minister Mickky Pacheco has said that he had to suffer jail just because he wanted to save the life of his close friend Nadia Torrado.
Speaking as a chief guest at the function organized by Goa Citizens Welfare Trust, Margao to felicitate personalities for showing exemplary courage, Pacheco said that Nadia was his very close friend and was working for him before she took the drastic step to end her life.
Saying that there ought to be no limits in saving someone’s life, Pacheco said that he had chartered a flight to Chennai from Mumbai in an attempt to save Nadia. “Again, the liver required for the transplant was airlifted to save her life, but in vain”, he said, adding, “all of you today are lucky for saving someone’s life, but I had to suffer jail for my efforts to save the life of a close friend”.
