National

Not resigning: Kamat

NEW DELHI: A day after winning the vote of confidence, Goa Chief Minster Digambar Kamat declared on Tuesday that he was not going to resign even as the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party geared up to continue its political battle keeping “all options” open.

Mr. Kamat arrived here along with three State party leaders and had a meeting with

Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil. He said the State leaders briefed the Home Minister on the situation in the State and in his assessment Mr. Patil appeared to be satisfied. Mr. Kamat was accompanied by Ramakant Khalap, Dayanand Narvekar and Shantaram Naik.

In an interaction with the media, the Chief Minister shot back asking “what for” when asked whether he would put in his papers. The Chief Minister asserted his Government took the vote of confidence as directed by the Governor and said the opposition BJP did not even seek a division and staged a walk-out from the Assembly.

He said there was confusion relating to the move by the two Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party legislators to support the BJP since the party’s earlier letter extending support to the Congress-led coalition was still valid.

The Chief Minister said, barring one, the BJP was unable to induce defections from the Congress camp. His charge was that the land mafia was behind the current move against his Government which stood committed to the promise of a new regional plan made in the party manifesto.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said the party had kept all is options open including move the court against the Goa Speaker’s decision. He said after a meeting with State party leader Manohar Parrikar and other MLAs and taking legal opinion the party would firm up its stand.

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