Sandesh Prabhudesai
23 October 2000
FOUR has become the magic number in Goa, a tourist state that is presently facing the periodic political turmoil, this time almost after 11 long months.
The Bharatiya Janata Party has withdrawn support to the coalition government led by Francisco Sardinha, to form its own government this time.
While leaving Sardinha's 11-member Goan Congress Party high and dry, the BJP has also managed to increase its strength overnight from 10 to 18, thanks to powerseeking professional politicians in Goa crossing over, as usual.
It was the turn of the opposition leader Ravi Naik now, who split from the Congress along with three others to join the BJP.
Ramakant Khalap, who was making hue and cry over greedy defections during his tenure as the union law minister, has also split for the second time within one year.
On the other hand, the BJP has managed to rope in yet another group of Congressmen, who had split two months ago, led by Shaikh Hassan, consisting of two more Christian legislators.
Though this brings Sardinha into minority, he is planning to muster support from all corners, including the 'original' Congress led by Luizinho Faleiro, against whose autocratic functioning he had revolted in last November.
Counting six of the Congress (it had 25 members last year), Sardinha is also confident of Dr Wilfred de Souza, the sole Nationalist Congress Party legislator, to continue his support.
This strengthens Sardinha's camp also to 18, the same number the BJP presently enjoys.
The politico-magic thus moves around four legislators, who will ultimately decide fate of Sardinha and Manohar Parrikar, the new CM in the offing.
It includes two legislators of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party including Pandurang Raut, having wide experience of defections. In spite of defecting once from the BJP, the party-of-principles has assured him a cabinet berth.
The third one is Suresh Parulekar, whom the BJP refused to admit along with his four colleagues belonging to Congress (Shaikh Hassan group). Along with the MGP, he has also submitted a letter to the governor, supporting the BJP.
Independent MLA Isidore Fernandes, who moves in both the camps here whenever summoned, has already made it clear that he would support any government that comes to power.
Sardinha is presently trying hard to rope in these four VIPs, who are in much demand in the political market here. The 'buyer' would ultimately rule while the auction is open till the special session is convened for Sardinha to prove his majority.
The only plus point for the BJP is that its five old guards are prepared to remain out of the cabinet while there is no option than inducting all the eight new 'professional' members, besides Raut, to continue with the cabinet of 14.
But with all the 11 in the Sardinha group enjoying ministerial positions, the CM could win the trust vote only if few of them voluntarily opt out to accommodate the new faces in the cabinet, from among five from the Congress (one is the speaker) and the four VIPs.
As the picture would be clear only when the House meets, the magic of four continues till then...
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