Goa Democratic Alliance constituted to form govt

Panaji, July 26: Launching a rebellion against the 49-day-old Congress-led coalition government, the anti-Congress parties forged a 'Goa Democratic Alliance (GDA)' today and staked claim to form a government headed by BJP leader Manohar Parrikar.

''Our immediate task is to defeat the non-performing Digambar Kamat Government on the floor of the Legislative Assembly today and stake claim to form new government, promising corruption-free and good government,'' a jubiliant Mr Parrikar told a crowded press conference.

He said Governor S C Jamir had assured the alliance he would abide by the Constitution. The Governor is expected to be here tomorrow afternoon.

The GDA has a strength of 20, including 14 BJP members, two MLAs each of the Save Goa Front (SGF) and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), the lone legislator of the United Goans Democratic Party and independent Anil Salgaocar.

GDA spokesperson and SGF president Churchil Alemao said Mr Salgaocar has been appointed convenor of the alliance while Ramakrishna Davalikar (MGP) and Atanasio Monserrate (UGDP) are co-coordinators.

The alliance, within a few days, will evolve a ''common minimum programme'' and sort out all issues within the coalition partners, he said.

All the legislators had last night faxed a letter to Governor S C Jamir about the withdrawal of support to the Kamat-led Government by MGP, SGF, UGDP and Mr Salgaocar.

All the 20 legislators, including the BJP members, signed the letter mentioning the formation of a new coalition with Manohar Parrikar as its leader.

''Therefore, we request you to call upon Manohar Parrikar, Leader of the Opposition who enjoys majority support in the 38-member House, to form the government for giving Goa an able administrator and stable governance,'' the memorandum said.

The lone woman Congress legislator Victoria Fernandes, who turned 72 today, earlier sent in her resignation both as the member of the House and the primary membership of the party.

Speaker Pratapsinh Rane could exercise his vote in case of a tie in the House, but this situation is not expected to arise under the current circumstances.

Mr Parrikar claimed that another independent MLA Viswajit Rane, now Health Minister and son of Mr Rane, had also extended support to the alliance, while the MGP and Mr Salgaocar had already announced withdrawal of the support to Kamat Government early today.

Mr Parrikar said the Kamat Government has been reduced to a minority. He said he was yet to get a written letter of support from Viswajit Rane, although the latter had orally announced support earlier. ''Our government will be for Goans and provide justice to all sections irrespective of all demonimations. Our first target is to remove this minority government by proving our strength in the House today,'' he said.

Originally, the alliance had claimed strength of 21 members including Mrs Victoria Fernandes. She continues to be a member as long her resignation is not accepted.

Mr Parrikar said the differences he had before the June 2 elections with Mr Monserrate were sorted out amicably and there would not be any clash of interests.

He also clarified that the alliance was a combination of anti-Congress parties, not a ''club of defectors''. It was Mr Kamat who was the master defector, he arrested.

He said the Kamat Government had fallen under its own weight with no coordination even on the floor of the House, leave alone allocation of portfolios and performance.

The BJP will have 2/3rd representation in the new ministry even as he, as CM, will have a free hand within the limitations of the common minimum programme. All the alliance partners, including Victoria Fernandes, were present at the press conference.

Earlier in the day, Mrs Fernandes said she, as the lone woman member of the House, resigned as she could not take the humiliation meted out to her by being denied a Cabinet berth.

''On the one hand, the Congress boasts of having a woman President and pleads for 33 per cent reservations to women, on the other hand, Mrs Fernandes was resigned to her own fate which is an insult to us all,'' Mr Alemao remarked.

He took exception to Mr Kamat ''painting a wrong picture before the electorate in the June 2 elections that SGF was part of the BJP''. Yet, we supported the government from outside and even voted for Pratibha Patil in the Presidential elections and Speaker Pratapsinh Rane, he said.

Mr Alemao said he was humiliated by the Kamat Government even in the House when he brought to its notice grave irregularities in the irrigation department, leave alone not informing the SGF of visit of Mrs Patil before the election as a courtesy.

He claimed he was misled by the Congress to believe that the BJP was ''communal'' when he was South Goa MP.

But, Mr Parrikar as Chief Minister did not show discrimination towards the Catholics in any manner unlike the Kamat Government, he added. Many people felt suffocated in the allocation of portfolios with Chief Minister holding many while giving away Finance and Home to others, he said.

''Husband and wife should be always together. But the Chief Minister gave away the two portfolios to others,'' he quipped.

Asked about his demand for official status to Konkani in Roman script, he said every issue would be sorted out amicably in a ''nice manner'' and a broad consensus would be reached on all issues in the coordination committee meeting of the alliance in a few days.

He said the alliance has urged the Governor to dismiss the minority government headed by Mr Kamat which contiuned to be maladministered, facing complete ruin.

The alliance has also cited the non-performance of the Government including failure to stop works on diversion of Mhadai river waters by Karnataka government, besides protecting the interests of Goans and Goa.

UNI