Sandesh Prabhudesai
9 March 2000
Goa is heading for yet another toppling game, the third one in nine months. But it's unique this time, unlike series of defections taken place in the last 10 years in Goa.
It is neither the opposition nor the rebels within the ruling coalition. It is chief minister Francisco Sardinha himself, who is planning to topple his three-month old coalition baby.
The logic is simple. To become the chief minister, Sardinha split in November along with 10 other Congressmen and formed a coalition with the 10-member Bharatiya Janata Party while toppling the Luizinho Faleiro's five-month old Congress government in the 40-member House.
But as he knows that his future lies in the original Indian National Congress and not in the Goan People's Congress he has formed, he is now planning a homecoming with some of his colleagues, provided he continues to be the chief minister.
Interestingly, a plan is being hatched in collusion with Ravi Naik, the opposition leader, who may get the position of the deputy chief minister, if they succeed. Failing this, a group within the Congress has threatened to join the Sardinha's local party.
To topple Sardinha's coalition government, rebellion has emerged in the opposition Congress party. At least five legislators, under the leadership of former speaker Shaikh Hasan, have formed a pressure group while demanding ouster of Luizinho Faleiro as the Goa PCC president.
Sources disclose it as a pressure tactic by Sardinha and Naik, the CM and the opposition leader, to eliminate their common enemy – Luizinho Faleiro - before bringing the Congress back to power. The rebel Congressmen have already met Prabha Rao, the state in-charge, in Mumbai with the proposal.
Though Faleiro has refused to step down as the PCC president, he has been now summoned to Delhi by the high command. His position has weakened to quite an extent since some of his loyal lieutenants have joined hands with the rebels.
It would be a smooth homecoming for Sardinha if the high command tells Faleiro to step down. Otherwise, the rebel group plans to function as a pressure group within the Congress for the budget session, beginning from 21 March.
In case Sardinha stages a comeback, it may not be the usual drama of becoming a minority government, proving the majority, another one staking claim, keeping the legislators as hostages in star hotels , getting the new CM sworn and then facing the vote of confidence.
The chief minister may simply join the Congress party and sack his BJP cabinet colleagues (or they may resign in protest), after which Sardinha would expand his ministry with his old Congress colleagues.
The transfer of power in a most 'non-violent' manner…..
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