TIME-OUT: CONG
Leaders seek direction from high command
HERALD REPORTERS
PANJIM/NEW DELHI, MAR 31
The stalemate continues on the political imbroglio created by Group of 7 (non-Congress legislators of the ruling coalition) as the Congress leaders sought time to discuss the issues put forth by the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) with United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Thursday.
The much-hyped Coordination Committee meeting of the Congress and NCP leaders held in New Delhi to resolve the emerging political situation ended in a deadlock as the Congress leaders excused themselves to seek direction from their party high command before further talks.
Gandhi will return to Delhi on Thursday. Probably, depending upon her schedule, the issues will be taken up with her on Thursday evening, sources said.
Congress General Secretary B K Hariprasad, incharge of Goa affairs who led the party leaders from the State, said there may be another meeting of the coordination committee on Thursday or Friday. He said the Congress wants to settle all issues that otherwise impinge upon smooth functioning of the government.
He, however, refused to comment on the NCP advancing the case of the Group of Seven MLAs. The very purpose of the coordination committee is to resolve issues that crop up in such coalitions, he said.
While Hariprasad led the Congress side in Wednesday’s discussions, the NCP side was led by NCP General Secretary and Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel, assisted by Prakash Binsale. Those who participated in the first round of inconclusive talks Wednesday morning included Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and Goa Congress chief Subhash Shirodkar.
No one from those who attended the coordination committee was willing to come on record with regard to the G7 demands placed before the Congress.
“We have placed the issues before the Congress leaders and they will get back to us so that the functioning of the government is smooth”, Binsale said.
The chief minister indicated that they (Congress leaders) will sit with Patel again once the issues are discussed with Congress high command.
No clarity: As G7 MLAs lacked homogeneity among themselves, there was no clarity on the demands put forth by them.
In the political circles however, the issue of change of portfolio took centre stage. G7 MLAs, as reported yesterday, are learnt to have demanded relieving Churchill Alemao of Public Works Department, Ravi Naik of home and Aleixo Sequeira of power.
Most of the members of G7 seem to have their own personal issues to settle. Some of the members appeared very firm with these demands.
PWD is being eyed by two of their members while power by another one. The fourth member wants urban development which is currently with Joaquim Alemao.
And to top it all, there is also the issue of leadership change. On this issue, sources say, it is not clear whether all G7 members are unanimous. This is because, some of them are not in favour of Speaker Pratapsing Rane as Kamat’s successor.
On the other hand, the Congress central leaders are not keen in replacing Kamat.
Churchill who is camping in Delhi for the last two days, held separate meeting with Hariprasad and some other central leaders.
Wavering demands?: Sources said that G7 has been putting new demands over the last two to three weeks. First, they stalled the dropping of Sudin Dhavlikar from the cabinet, then they demanded rotation of chairperson of Zilla Panchayats. This was followed by demanding apology of Churchill Alemao and two days later, apology of deputy speaker and Cortalim MLA Mauvin Godinho. Lately, there have been demanding change of portfolios and leadership change as well.
Tourism Minister Mickky Pacheco was learnt to have been loud and clear about the demand for leadership change, during their meeting with Praful Patel Wednesday morning.
One member even gave veiled threat that if the Congress doesn’t give in to their demands, they might be forced to join the BJP for a new formation of government in the state.
Sans president: A question as to why the state President of NCP Dr Carmo Pegado was not invited for the meeting also cropped up in Delhi today. Normally, for the coordination committee meeting, state party presidents of both parties participate in the deliberations. From the Congress side, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) chief Subhash Shirodkar attended both the meetings.
In the political circles, questions were being asked whether the NCP high command is really interested in rebuilding the party in Goa. Incidentally, their high command is yet to appoint a fulfledged president though it was promised three months ago. Observers feel instead of strengthening its base, the NCP high command only seems to be giving shelter and a forum to the non-Congress, non-BJP legislators to further their own political agendas.
The chief minister chose to stay away from the Goa Sadan, the state government’s guest house, and sought to meet Sonia Gandhi, along with Hariprasad, to explain to her how some NCP leaders in Delhi were trying to destabilise his government despite their party being part of his coalition.
