Speaker restores all rights to MGP legislator brothers in Goa

Panaji, Jan 9 (UNI) The six-month political drama following suspension of MGP legislator brothers from the Goa Legislative Assembly to save the beleaguered Digambar Kamat Government in the crucial vote of confidence on July 30 last, ended today with Speaker Prataspsingh Rane restoring the duo all rights to function as legislators.

This was following two MGP legislators - Ramakrishna Dhavlikar and Deepak Dhavlikar - withdrawing their petition in the Supreme Court challenging the Speaker's ''undemocratic'' verdict seeking restoration of their rights.

Earlier, Calangute legislator (Congress) Agnelo Fernandes, who filed the disqualification petition against the MGP members alleging that they flouted the Party's decision to support Congress, withdrew his petition.

The Speaker, in his order on the eve of the winter session of the House beginning tomorrow, also directed the members to ''abide by the Party's decision always'', while vacating his July 30 order that restrained them from participating in the crucial vote of confidence sought by Chief Minister Digambar Kamat.

The Congress-led Kamat Government which took reigns on June 8, last after the June 2 elections, plunged into minority with the MGP brothers and the lone Congress lady legislator Victoria Fernandes withdrawing their support in the 40-member House.

They, along with BJP, two SGF and one UGDP members constituted the Goa Democratic Front that had even paraded the legislators on the lawns of Rashtrapathi Bhawan seeking directive to Governor S C Jamir to invite the GDA leader and BJP Chief Manohar Parrikar to form government.

But with the last minute withdrawal of support from GDA by the UGDP member Atanasio Monserrate (Babush) and subsequent ditching of SGF members following offer of PWD minister post to Churchil Alemao, the government survived.

The MGP, however, challenged the Speaker's order in the Supreme Court but, later withdrew the petition two days ago following a series of development in its favour.

It has to be seen whether the MGP will again back Congress in the House or not in the backdrop of serious differences brewing among the ruling party members following the Government's decision to scrap the SEZs in deference to public outcry last week.

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