CM says no threat to his 50-day old government

Panaji, July 24 (UNI) Amid reports of threat to his 50-day old government from party dissidents Chief Minister Digambar Kamat maintained that his government continued to be ''stable''.

''I do not see any threat to my government now,'' he told media persons after conferring with his party legislators late tonight after the conclusion of the debate on budget demands for the current fiscal.

Goa was agog with rumours that urban development minister Joaquim Alemao besides three parliamentary secretaries recently threatened to resign and join hands with the BJP along with the Save Goa Front and the UGDP to form an alternative government.

Mr Joaquim had even reportedly announced about his resignation in a meeting of his followers at Margao today. He was protesting denial of the Goa State Urban Development Authority (GSUDA) to be under his command.

One of the senior Congress legislators Ms Victoria Fernandes was sore that she was denied the cabinet berth despite being the only woman legislator in the 40-member House.

She had even undertaken hunger strike which she withdrew after she was made one of the three parliamentary secretaries with Cabinet status.

Another independent member from Sanvordem and noted miner Anil Salgaocar, though supporting the coalition government, had also been nurturing a feeling that the Chief Minister did not offer him any posts.

It was believed that he had indirectly been supporting the BJP which proposed his name for the post of speaker. He however withdrew from the contest later. He had also extended support to the NCP in the House.

The Congress with a strength of 16 in the 40-member House backed by NCP 3, MGP and Independents 2 each as against BJP 14 and the SGF 2 and UGDP one.

The SGF headed by Joaquim's elder brother and former Congress rebel Churchil Alemao and the UGDP with the lone legislator and another Congress rebel Atanasio Monserrate had been supporting the government from outside on ''issue by issue basis.'' The BJP opposition leader Manohar Parrikar, since the inception of the current government, had been maintaining that it would ''crumble under its own weight while equating it to an unstable equilibrium''.

He said he would spare no effort to grab the opportunity to form the government if it awaits him in due course.

UNI