Kamat-led party delegation meets Sonia

New Delhi, Aug 2 (UNI) Congress President Sonia Gandhi today reviewed the political situation in Goa with the state's Chief Minister Digamber Kamat, who survived a threat to his nearly two-month-old government through a controversial floor test in the state assembly on July 30.

This was the first meeting between Mr Kamat and Ms Gandhi after the former won the vote of confidence through voice vote with the BJP accusing Speaker Pratapsinh Rane of "murdering democracy." Mr Kamat, who was accompanied by senior leaders of the party, apprised Ms Gandhi of the latest political developments and reportedly sought to convince her about the constitutional validity of the proceedings of the state assembly on July 30.

Speaker Rane had issued an interim order restraining rebel Congress MLA Victoria Fernandes and two MLAs of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) from voting during a confidence motion moved by Mr Kamat.

"We tried to convince Ms Gandhi on how the Speaker was well within his authority to take such decisions under Schedule IX of the Constitution," a Goa Congress leader, who was part of the delegation, said here today.

AICC General Secretary in charge of Goa Margaret Alva was also present at the meeting.

Mr Kamat had a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last night and apprised him of the entire developments.

He also had a long discussion with Home Minister Shivraj Patil yesterday.

UNI