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Goa : Instability continues |
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Goa Governor S.C. Jamir has asked the newly installed Pratap Sinh Rane Government to prove its majority in the State Assembly within 30 days. The Chief Minister had earlier told the Press that he would seek a trust vote as soon as the Governor asked him to do so. The Governor, in the meantime, has defended his action of dismissing the Manohar Parrikar Government. He charged the Speaker with committing “open murder of democracy.” Jamir who came under attack from the BJP and its allies in the NDA, asserted that supremacy of Speaker in the House held good as long as he followed rules and procedures. “Violation of rules and procedures, flouting of Constitution does not give him that kind of power in the House,” he said.
Rejecting the charge that his action was “pre-meditated”, Jamir said the House was adjourned at 5.24 p.m. and he issued the order only after 6 p.m. “So, how can they say so,” he asked.
BJP leaders staged a day-long dharna (sit-in strike) at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on February 8 to protest against the ouster of the Manohar Parrikar Government in Goa. Led by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and party chief L.K. Advani, they accused the United Progressive Alliance Government of orchestrating the dismissal of the Parrikar Government. The BJP is demanding that its government should be reinstated and the Governor recalled.
Congress may opt for fresh elections
There are reports that the Congress is keeping the option of seeking fresh elections in Goa as it is worried over the delicate balance of power in the state. The party may seriously consider the idea of dissolving the Assembly after Chief Minister Pratap Sinh Rane wins a vote of confidence. Although the Congress is silent on when the Chief Minister would call a special session to prove his majority, insiders feel that the Rane Government’s dependence on the MGP, the NCP and former BJP MLAs may lead to an unstable Government as just a couple of MLAs (even two or three) can change the precarious equation.
While Rane is prepared to have two Deputy Chief Ministers to maintain the balance of power, Falerio offered to resign from the Goa PCC presidentship under the one-man one-post norm.
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