Reality bites the NCP
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) High Command is obviously a good deal smarter than its so-called Goa Coordinator Praful Hede. After the latter dramatically directed that both its ministers submit their resignations from the cabinet to the party – which both Revenue Minister Jose Philip D’Souza and Tourism Minister Nilkanth Halarnkar flatly refused to do – it seems the party high command has understood that taking on a two-thirds majority in its legislature party is just too much for it to contend with. It has now taken corrective action, by cleverly scaling down its demand. Now, the high command has sent a letter formally asking Chief Minister Digambar Kamat to drop one of the party’s two ministers from the cabinet to make way for Benaulim MLA Francisco alias Mickky Pacheco.
NCP Goa observer Prakash Bhinsale, who rushed from Mumbai after the crisis hit the party, and party state unit President Surendra Sirsat, together met Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and submitted the letter from the NCP high command And though Mr Sirsat refused to confirm the name of the minister to be dropped, the party’s ever-so-reliable sources have confirmed that the one facing the axe is Jose Philip D’Souza. This is old-school manipulative politics; divide to rule. By making it clear that both are not going to be dropped, the party hopes to reduce the ranks of the rebels, from two to one, and thereby put itself in a comfortable majority.
But the chief minister is no political newbie. He has bought time, on the usual plea of having to consult his own high command. He is somewhat constrained in this aspect, taking into account the fact that his cabinet does not support the re-induction of Mr Pacheco. In any case, even if the Congress High Command decides to give in to its coalition partner, it is not going to happen overnight. Mickky’s supporters may therefore have to spend a few more evenings waiting outside the gates of the Cabo Raj Bhawan for his swearing-in.
In the meanwhile, the extreme option – of calling a party ‘convention’ and announcing a split in the NCP – still remains open to Mr D’Souza and Mr Halarnkar. But for this, the two – who are facing a party inquiry after their a confidential meeting at Goa Pradesh Congress Committee General Secretary Vijay Sardesai’s residence on Wednesday evening in Margao – will have to stick together. That they were huddled together in a meeting after Mr Sirsat and Mr Bhinsale submitted the letter to the chief minister shows that they have not completely abandoned that option yet. But whether they will still act unitedly, now that the Sword of Damocles has lifted from one of their heads, remains to be seen.
Revenue Minister Jose Philip D’Souza maintains that he has not received any notice in this matter, and therefore he will not quit. He has done nothing wrong, he says, and alleges that the whole drama is just a conspiracy to finish the party in Goa. In this regard, he has pointedly stated that it is “people within us” who are responsible for this conspiracy, pointing the finger firmly at his collegues in the party. He has also, for the record, stated categorically, that he has “full faith in the NCP high command” and that he is confident that it will not do injustice to anyone. He has also rubbished reports about his planning to join the Congress.
Politicians generally play their cards close to their chests, but this is a peculiar case. Just a few months ago, following the tragic suicide of his ‘companion’ Nadia Torrado and an Enforcement Directorate-led money laundering investigation haunting him, Mr Pacheco was a complete political untouchable for the NCP. Now he is being considered indispensible. What has brought about this sudden sea change? That is the real mystery that needs to be inquired into.
