POLITICAL CRISIS DEEPENS

NCP, MGP empower MLAs to withdraw support to govt

PANJIM, MARCH 20
In a major development, the core committee of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the working committee of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) have given total freedom to their MLAs to decide on continuing or withdrawing support to the Digambar Kamat-led alliance government.
The NCP has even gone a step further and empowered their MLAs to extend or withdraw support to any government that may be formed under any circumstances arising out of present political crisis.
From the resolution adopted today, it become very clear that the G7 MLAs have the backing of the NCP High Command even to the point of effecting a change in the Government.
The core committee meeting apparently was called hurriedly after the High Command of the NCP spoke to the State leaders and took stock of the situation arising out of the outbursts of PWD Minister Churchill Alemao and the inability of the chief minister to handle the situation.
“The NCP strongly feels that the present political situation has been precipitated due to the callous attitude of the Congress leadership and subsequent inaction on the part of Chief Minister Digambar Kamat,” NCP General Secretary Avinash Bhonsle told reporters.
He said the remarks by Congress leaders were uncalled for and detrimental to the functioning of the coalition government.
He said the core committee deplores the inaction of chief minister and GPCC president against such irresponsible statements, which are against the coalition “dharma”.
Bhonsle said that the NCP has resolved to support the demands of “G-7” seeking apology from Churchill Alemao and Mauvin Godinho for their “utterances belittling and humiliating the NCP leadership”.
“The committee has also given full powers, authority and freedom to take the decision as regards to the continuance or withdrawal of support to the Kamat government,” he said adding, “the MLAs are also empowered to extend support to any government that may be formed under any circumstances arising out of present political crisis, by any political party or by a front,” Bhonsle said.
The meeting was attended by acting president Dr Carmo Pegado, Revenue Minister and Leader of Legislative Party Jose Philip D’Souza, Tourism Minister Mickky Pacheco, Tivim MLA Nilkanth Halarnkar, Adv Avinash Bhonsle, Prakash Phadte, Prof Surendra Sirsat, Mrs Sangeeta Parab and Rajan Ghate.
The core committee also resolved to reiterate once again its demand to activate the State level coordination committee for the smooth functioning of the coalition government lead by Congress Party.
Meanwhile, the MGP working committee, which also met today, took resolutions on similar lines.
“Considering the political situation and forthcoming assembly session it will not be possible for all the members to meet and hence the working committee has given freedom and power to both their MLAs – Sudin Dhavalikar and Dipak Dhavalikar to take decision with regards to extending or withdrawing support to the government,” party spokesperson Lahu Mhamlekar told Herald over the phone.
The resolutions draw significance as the G7 had yesterday threatened not to support the Finance Bill in the assembly if their demands are not met.
Meanwhile, MGP spokesperson Lahu Mhamlekar said that the committee also decided to appoint Dipak Dhavalikar as the new MGP president.
The post has been vacant after the resignation of Pandurang Raut, recently.