The Goa Assembly was prorogued on Thursday while NCP leader Sharad Pawar warned of "extreme action" to rein in his three MLAs whose decision to withdraw support to the Congress-led coalition government reduced it to a minority triggering a fresh political crisis.
Central leaders of Congress and NCP were rushed to Goa for discussions to find a way out to salvage the seven-month-old Digamber Kamat government in the politically volatile state even as the three MLAs, including two ministers who resigned, remained defiant and refused to pull back.
Union Minister and senior NCP leader Praful Patel was holding discussions with his MLAs amid reports that the state NCP unit made a proposal that the party should form the government with support from the Congress.
Senior Congress leader B K Hariprasad was also holding talks with partymen.
An Independent MLA Vishwajit Rane also withdrew support on Wednesday night after which the Congress-led coalition's strength came down to 19 in a House of 40.
Before the withdrawal of support, the ruling coalition had 23 members-- Congress(16), NCP(3), Save Goa Front(2) and Independents(2). United Goans Democratic party's legislator Atanasio Monserratte is unattached.
The opposition BJP has 14 members and MGP(2).
The government also faced fresh trouble with one of the party MLAs-- Shyam Satardekar--deciding to quit the assembly bringing down its number further.
The Assembly was prorogued by Governor S C Jamir following a recommendation by the Cabinet. Opposition members protested at the move and sat on the well of the House.
The move signficantly came hours before the Assembly was to meet to take up the crucial Appropriation Bill. There was a threat of the bill falling through which would have led to the fall of the government.
© 2024 Rediff.com -