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Goan parties fight over Opposition leader

Sandesh Prabhudesai in Panaji

After its fall from power in just three-and-a-half months, the coalition led by Dr Wilfred de Souza is divided over who should be made the Opposition leader in the Goa assembly.

Besides an Independent, the coalition comprises of Dr de Souza's six-member Goa Rajiv Congress, the eight-member Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party with four members in the 40-member House.

The controversy arose after Speaker Tomazinho Cardoz granted the status of Opposition leader to Dr Kashinath Jalmi, the MGP leader. And this despite the fact that the coalition partners had unanimously chosen Dr de Souza.

Jalmi, the former Opposition leader during Pratapsing Rane's Congress regime, supports the speaker's contention that the leader of the largest single party among the opposition should be made its leader. He submitted a letter to the speaker stating that he continues to be the MGP leader, based on which he was granted the status of Opposition leader.

The MGP, according to the speaker, fulfils all required criteria: the largest single party, a recognised party, and has one-fifth strength in the House.

But Jalmi's unilateral action was appreciated neither by his colleagues nor party leaders. Thus, MGP general secretary Dharma Chodankar officially withdrew the request he had made in 1994 to appoint Jalmi Opposition leader.

Countering this, the speaker has now asked the MGP to furnish minutes of the meeting where the resolution was passed.

On the other hand, Dr de Souza claims the speaker has to set a new precedent by appointing him the leader. A coalition among the Opposition is rarely witnessed, and his party is also not the single largest.

Incidentally, Dr de Souza's GRC is neither registered nor recognised. His members also do not fulfil the criteria of one-fifth strength of the House. But Dr de Souza claims that Jalmi would even lose the party leadership if he insists on retaining himself as the Opposition leader.

Jalmi's camp suspects former Union minister Ramakant Khalap's hand in the move. They feel that he, by joining hands with Dr de Souza, wants to take over the party leadership, while also trying his luck for the Rajya Sabha ticket by manipulating two votes from the ruling camp.

The Congress government appears to be supporting Jalmi in order to counter Dr de Souza. Meanwhile, the former Congressman is seeking the opinion of top constitutional experts from Delhi.

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