Strength of Coalition govt to be tested in Speaker's election

Panaji, June 14 (UNI) The strength of the Congress-led coalition government headed by Digambar Kamat would be put to test during the election of the new speaker of the fifth Goa Legislative Assembly tomorrow.

While the Congress-NCP-MGP proposed the name of former Chief Minister and veteran politician Pratapsingh Rane for the post, the BJP proposed the names of its senior leader Laxmikant Y Parsekar and industrialist Anil Salgaocar (Independent), who has been elected for the first time to the Assembly.

In a significant development, the Save Goa Front supremo Churchill Alemao has also extended his support to the Congress nominee for the Speaker's post.

Debunking media reports and allegations that he was in league with the 'communal BJP', Mr Alemao said the SGF decided to support the Congress government from outside on ''issue basis''.

Meanwhile, Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate (UDGP) who went hammer and tongs against the Congress told UNI from Dubai that he would stand by the decision of his friend Churchill Alemao.

Mr Monserrate is on way home to participate in the swearing in ceremony tomorrow in the House. He caused a stir when he filed his nomination as the UGDP nominee at the eleventh hour after resigning from the Congress for the June 2 polls.

If the novice to the House, Mr Salgaocar was the consensus candidate, Mr Parsekar would withdraw from the contest. Otherwise, Mr Salgaocar would withdraw his nomination paving the way for a straight fight between the BJP and the Congress.

Initially, the pro-term speaker Alexeiso Sequeira may put the nominations to ''voice vote'' but the BJP may press for voting when the strength of the ruling coalition may be put to test.

The Congress has a strength of 16 members followed by its alliance partners NCP(3), MGP(2) and independents(2). On the otherhand, the BJP has a strength of 14 legislators while the Save Goa Front has two and UGDP-one, in the 40-member House. The BJP is supported by none.

The BJP maintained that it was in favour of anybody from a smaller party being elected to the post of the speaker and thus favoured Mr Salgaocar while proposing the name of Mr Parsekar for strategic reasons.

The four-member ministry headed by Mr Digambar Kamat was sworn in on June 8 and is poised for expansion at any time following consultations with the Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi.

UNI