The Hindu : National : Goa: MLA merges party with BJP

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Friday, Jan 28, 2005

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National

Goa: MLA merges party with BJP

By Anil Sastry

PANAJI, JAN 27 . The lone United Goan Democratic Party (UGDP-Micky) MLA Francisco alias Micky Pacheco, who had withdrawn support to the Manohar Parrikar Government on July 31 last year, did a summersault today by merging his party with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He was a Minister in the Parrikar Cabinet earlier.

With this, the strength of BJP in the 40-member Assembly has gone up to 21 ensuring a simple majority on its own. The Government also enjoys the support of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) MLA, Ramakrishna alias Sudin Dhavlikar, the UGDP MLA, Matanhy Saldanha, and an independent, Filipe Neri Rodrigues, who are Ministers in the Cabinet.

The Goa BJP unit president, Rajendra Arlekar, told The Hindu that Mr. Pacheco formally handed over the papers regarding the merger to the Speaker, Vishwas Satarkar, today morning. "Since Mr. Pacheco was the lone MLA from the party, he could merge the party without attracting the disqualification procedure," he said. Mr. Pacheco represents Benaulim constituency of South Goa.

Mr. Parrikar had dropped Mr. Pacheco, who was Minister for Tourism, on June 14 last year, stating that "Mr. Pacheco did not match the overall performance and style of functioning of other Ministers and members of the ruling party. Despite being given sufficient time to correct himself, Mr. Pacheco failed to do so."

The merger comes in the backdrop of the reported unhappiness of the Town and Country Planning Minister, Atansio alias Babush Monserrate, with Mr. Parrikar since several months. Mr. Monserrate, also belonging to UDGP, had joined the BJP soon after the elections and played a key role in the recent resignation of Congress MLA from Poinguinim, Isidore Fernandes, his subsequent induction into the BJP and re-election on a BJP ticket in the byelection. Mr. Monserrate was said to be unhappy, as he was not "suitably rewarded" by Mr. Parrikar. His wife Jennifer Monserrate was made the vice-president of UGDP on Tuesday.

Portfolio reshuffle

Mr. Parrikar effected a minor reshuffle of portfolios. Mr. Monserrate was striped of the Town and Country Planning department and was left with Provedoria, Environment, Science and Technology. Mr. Parrikar has kept the department with him.

He, however, maintained that both the incidents were just a matter of coincidence. "I had decided to reshuffle the portfolios long back," he said.

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