Realignment of forces likely in Goa

PANAJI, OCT. 21. In a development indicating a new realignment of forces in Goa, all the three BJP Ministers pulled out of the Francisco Sardinha coalition government reducing it to minority even as the Congress Legislature Party suffered yet another split.

As the BJP decided to withdraw support to the 11-month-old Sardinha Government, the Education Minister, Mr. Prakash Phadte, said he along with the Power Minister, Mr. Digambar Kamat, and the Health Minister, Mr. Suresh Amonkar, handed over their resignation letters to the BJP legislature party leader, Mr. Manohar Parrikar.

``We have decided to withdraw support to the Government. We will meet the Governor and communicate the party's decision. Some like-minded people will join the BJP,'' Mr. Phadte said without elaborating. The Governor, Mohd. Fazal, and the Chief Minister, are out of station and expected to return tomorrow.

Meanwhile, sources in the BJP said the party had not been consulted on some recent government decisions.

In a parallel development, the CLP suffered a split when four of its MLAs led by Mr. Ravi Naik, decided to leave the party reducing its strength in the Assembly to six, including the Speaker.

In the 40-member House, the Goa People's Congress Party headed by the Chief Minister has 11 members, which was supported by BJP (10), Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (2) and Ncp and independent one each. On the opposition side were the Congress with 10 MLAs and the Congress (Shaikh Hassan group) with five.

The two Congress groups, set in motion a process for their merger with the BJP. Mr. Ravi Naik, who formed the Congress (Ravi) said his group decided to merge with the BJP without any pre- condition. Other members of the group are the former Union Minister, Mr. Ramakant Khalap, the former State Minister, Mr. Sanjay Bandekar and Mr. Manohar Azgaokar.

The BJP legislature party leader, Mr. Manohar Parrikar, said the Congress (Sheikh) group, which deserted the parent party on August 15 last would also join the BJP. The five legislators in this group are the former Speaker, Sheikh Hassan Haroon, Mr. Suresh Parulekar, Mr. Prakash Velip, Mr. Philip Neri and Mr. Jose Philip D'Souza.

However, there is some confusion about the entry of Mr. Parulekar. While Mr. Parulekar told reporters that the entire group was joining the BJP, party leaders maintain that a final decision about admitting him into the party would be taken only after consultation with leaders in New Delhi.

- PTI, UNI

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