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Congress tries to woo back Goa rebels

The desperate Congress is still trying to regain its lost ground in Goa, but this time by winning over a group within the breakaway Goa Rajiv Congress to the party fold.

''They are welcome if they want to come back and strengthen the Congress,'' said party observer R L Bhatia, who was in Goa recently.

The GRC, led by Dr Wilfred de Souza, now heads a coalition government in the state, along with the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Referring to the BJP's resolve against joining the coalition, Bhatia said, ''It is a clear indication that the assembly is heading for dissolution. The state will have mid-term polls by November, along with Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi and Mizoram.''

He, however, asserted that the Congress would defeat the BJP's designs.

Though 10 Congress legislators had split the party to form the GRC, it is learnt that a group of five among them led by Irrigation Minister Dayanand Narvekar is negotiating with Bhatia for a comeback, provided the former is made the chief minister.

Narvekar, an arch rival of Dr de Souza, is reportedly not too happy with the chief minister who sidelined him while allocating portfolios. The former also does not deny that he is still in touch with the Congress leadership, discussing the issue of homecoming.

The leadership, however, has decided to maintain the status quo till the pending petition in the Goa bench of the Bombay high court is cleared. The bench is deciding on Speaker Thomazinho Cardoz's order disqualifying the rebels.

The Congress has informally decided against dislodging former chief minister Pratapsing Rane from the legislative party leadership till the Supreme Court decides on his appeal on the high court order. The order rejected his petition which had challenged Governor J F R Jacob's decision to dismiss his government.

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