Ministers threaten to quit if PWD minister is removed:Babush

Panaji, Dec 19 (UNI) Goa Town and Country Planning Minister Atanasio Monserrate (Babush) today threatened to resign along with some colleagues if Chief Minister Pratapsingh Rane ''succumbed to pressures'' and removed PWD minister Ramakrishna Dhavlikar from the cabinet.

Talking to UNI on the sidelines of the 46th Goa Liberation Day celeberations at Campal Parade ground, Mr Monserrate said about four ministers were ready to resign if the Chief Minister yielded to the pressures of some of his cabinet colleagues.

A section of the Congress legislators, including CLP spokesperson Jitender Deshprabhu, and GPCC president Ravi Naik had been demanding the Chief Minister to drop Dhavlikar for his ''anti-Congress activities''.

Mr Dhavlikar, however, challenged the contention of the Congress leaders and explained his position to the AICC general secretary in charge of Goa, Mrs Margret Alva recently.

Political observers however, feel that removal of the minister at the eleventh hour when the state was to go in for elections in May next would be an ''immature decision'' even as all the ruling coalition partners, including NCP and MGP, besides the UGDP and the BJP had declared they would go it alone in the coming elections.

The term of the current session expires in May next year and majority of the members are against mid-term polls.

UNI BM ADG SB VV1628