Cong leaders brief Hari, CM for Delhi
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, DEC 16
With the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leadership mulling action against two of its ministers Jose Philip D’Souza and Nilkhant Halarnkar, State Congress leaders have turned to the All India Congress Committee (AICC) observer for Goa, B Hariprasad on the developments unfolding in the State, even as Chief Minister, Digambar Kamat left for the national capital on Thursday.
Sources in the know said the Congress leaders, who had a meeting with the two NCP ministers at the residence of Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) General Secretary Vijay Sardessai got in touch with the AICC observer in charge of Goa and briefed him on the political developments.
Herald understands that the State leaders have told Hariprasad that no action should be taken on the fate of Jose Philip and Nilkhant without the meeting of the coordination committee of the coalition partners.
While explaining the reasons behind holding last night meeting with the two NCP ministers, the leaders pointed out that the status quo should not be disturbed under any circumstances in the interest of the party.
Though the chief minister has headed to Delhi this evening to attend a conference, state Congress leaders have exuded confidence that Kamat would convince the party high command on the need to maintain status quo in the ministry in the interest of the Congress party.
Incidentally, these leaders recalled that it was Jose Philip D’Souza and Nilkhant Halarnkar, who had come to the rescue of the Kamat government when the G-7 had made an abortive bid to dislodge the chief minister last year and hoped that Kamat would ensure that the high commands of the coalition partners do not disturb the status quo.
Sources in the know said the Congress leadership is weighing various possibilities in the event the NCP leadership initiates drastic action against Jose Philip or Nilkhant if they fail to step down. That both Jose Philip and Nilkhant have vowed to remain united, indicates that they will take a joint decision if the leadership decides to drop one of them from the cabinet.
