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Congress numbers swell to 21, stakes claim in Goa under Luizinho Faleiro's leadership

Sandesh Prabhudesai in Panaji

The Congress party in Goa, which was dislodged from power three months ago following a rebellion, today staked its claim to form the government under the leadership of state opposition leader Luizinho Faleiro, with a wafer-thin support base of 21 members in the 40-member house.

Opposing any move to dissolve the house and impose President's rule in the tourist state in case the present government is toppled, the Congress also demanded that the coalition government led by Dr Wilfred de Souza be sacked.

Though Governor J F R Jacob has refused to comment on the developments at this stage, the Bharatiya Janata Party, which is supporting the coalition government from the outside, claims that he has assured its delegation that he will settle the issue only on the floor of the house on December 2.

In a significant development following the resignation of three ministers from the coalition government late yesterday evening, four members of Dr de Souza's Goa Rajiv Congress went back to the Congress party today, after withdrawing support to the government. Altogether, 10 members had split from the ruling Congress in July.

"The situation would change in the next 12 days," claimed GRC general secretary Suresh Parulekar, currently holding the fort in the absence of Dr de Souza, who is away in London attending the World Tourism Mart. He is arriving back in the capital on Sunday morning.

Following the resignation of the three ministers, Dr de Souza through a facsimile message had dropped Dayanand Narvekar, the rebel leader, from the cabinet while keeping the option open for the other two to come back. But this move was countered today with all three of them, along with Deputy Speaker Deu Mandrekar, going back to the Congress.

The Congress had 16 members earlier, including one independent in the 40-member house, which figure has now swollen to 21 with four new entrants and John Manuel Vaz, another independent, joining the Congress camp.

The Rajya Sabha MP from Maharashtra, Govindrao Adik, who is the Congress leadership's emissary to the state, later claimed that more GRC members would come back, though he did not favour the chief minister's comeback. He also claimed that this action was not in contravention of the Pacchmarhi declaration that no defector would be readmitted to the party and given important positions.

While Adik described the split as a wise decision "in the interest of the country", Narvekar claimed that he was going back to the Congress since Dr de Souza had humiliated him. "He also could not provide financial stability," the rebel leader added.

Delegations from the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, which is part of the coalition government, as well as from the BJP, met the governor separately earlier this morning, requesting him to allow Dr de Souza to prove his majority on the floor of the House, as per the Supreme Court decision.

Adik, however, demanded dismissal of the government rather than convening the assembly session, since letters submitted by the Congress and two independents were proof that the CM has lost his majority. They are waiting for the governor's decision before planning the future course of action.

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