MICKKY REJECTED BY CONGRESS FROM INCLUSION INTO CABINET

PANJIM: After days of haggling and bowing to internal pressure from rebels, the Congress on Monday outrightly rejected the NCP demand to reinduct Benaulim MLA Francisco ‘Mickky’ Pacheco into the Digambar Kamat cabinet. AICC general secretary in charge of Goa desk B K Hariprasad said, “It would be problematic for the government considering the thin majority it has.” NCP, however, has not given up its demand and still wants the former tourism minister back in the ministry.

Referring to the charges against Pacheco in connection with the death/suicide of Nadia Torrado, Hariprasad after a 90-minute meeting with PWD minister Churchill Alemao and nine other MLAs who had threat ened to topple the government if Pacheco was re-inducted said, “They are charges in connection with the death of a woman,” adding that they are of a serious nature and Pacheco had not been cleared of them as yet.

Asked why the Congress was following different norms for its ministers in that case, Hariprasad said categorically, “The Congress policy is clear. If any minister belonging to the Congress haa murder charge, he will have to go.” Hariprasad said Alemao and the other MLAs including some ministers explained the “consequences” of getting Pacheco back into the cabinet. They have asked for status quo to be maintained in the ministry, he said.

Asked how Pacheco’s induction would affect the government when Congress has 20 MLAs in the house of 40, Hariprasad said, “Goa has a thin majority and Congress doesn’t want to lose the government or even harm the government.”

Politically, Goa is a sensitive state, the Congress observer said, adding, “Goa is an unpredictable state as far as politics goes. We are very clear, we don’t want to induct Mickky and this will be conveyed to the NCP high command.” (TNN)