MLAs BLOCK UP OF MICKKY’S INDUCTION TO THE CABINET AS A MINISTER

PANJIM: In what is seen as pressure tactics against the NCP and Congress high commands on the reported move to re-induct former tourism minister and Benaulim MLA Francisco 'Mickky' Pacheco into the Digambar Kamat cabinet, eight MLAs, including ministers, had a meeting at the residence of Congress general secretary Vijay Sardesai at Fatorda late Wednesday evening.

"We want the Congress-led government to be strong and hence status quo should be maintained," said PWD minister Churchill Alemao, emphasizing that "we are strongly with revenue minister Jose Philip D'Souza and tourism minister Nilkant Halarnkar."

Among those present were education minister Atanasio 'Babush' Monserrate, urban development minister Joaquim Alemao, sports minister Manohar 'Babu' Azgaonkar, GIDC chairman Chandrakant 'Babu' Kavlekar, Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco besides Churchill, Halarnkar and D'Souza. Alemao, who is opposed to any change in the cabinet, said D'Souza and Halarnkar had been good partners of the Congress and "now is the time, for us to stand by them". While Alemao declined to go into the details, sources said there are fresh moves to bring Pacheco back into the cabinet.

This means that either Halarnkar or D'Souza will face the axe to make way for Pacheco. This development has not only disturbed the two NCP ministers but also a section of Congress leaders opposed to Pacheco. Pacheco resigned as tourism and ports minister six months back, following instructions from the NCP high command, after the police Janhit Congress party split," a Congress leader said. "We will brief the chief minister that in the interest of the Congress party, we cannot allow that the status quo in the cabinet be disturbed," Alemao said indicating that Congress leaders will not hesitate to take drastic steps. "Everything is going smoothly and people are happy with the government, in such a situation, there should be no change in the cabinet," he asserted. Monserrate also stated that Congress leaders are of the view that the there should be no change in the cabinet. claimed that there was "clinching evidence" against him in the Nadia Torrado death case. Sources said Wednesday evening some NCP official received information that either D'Souza or Halarnkar would be "sacrificed" to make room for Pacheco in the cabinet and this triggered off a strong reaction in the ruling coalition. Through the meeting, the message to the high commands is that D'Souza and Halarnkar, who are two-thirds of the three-member legislature party, can split and merge with another party.

"This happened in Haryana when Haryana Janhit Congress party split," a Congress leader said. "We will brief the chief minister that in the interest of the Congress party, we cannot allow that the status quo in the cabinet be disturbed," Alemao said indicating that Congress leaders will not hesitate to take drastic steps. "Everything is going smoothly and people are happy with the government, in such a situation, there should be no change in the cabinet," he asserted. Monserrate also stated that Congress leaders are of the view that the there should be no change in the cabinet. (TNN)