Goa all-party delegation to meet PM with demands tomorrow

Panaji, June 11: Congress is likely to be represented by MP Francisco Sardinha in Delhi tomorrow when an all-party delegation will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh demanding special status to Goa and a financial package for people affected by the ban on mining.

Goa's leader of Opposition Pratapsingh Rane has also been invited by Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to be part of the delegation on behalf of his party, a senior Congress leader said.

However, Rane has cited personal reasons not to join the delegation and might stay away.

"We are fully convinced that the delegation led by Parrikar is politically motivated. But in the larger interest of the state, Sardinha, who is an MP and also working president of the party's Goa unit will join the delegation," a senior leader said.

Congress leaders in Goa are wary that discussions by the delegation might lead to a blame game between the Goa government and the Union government.

"If a blame game starts, our representative will expose how Parrikar was responsible for shutting down Goa's mining industry," he said.

The delegation will ask for a special status to Goa, giving the state government a right to enact laws to restrict sale of land. The delegation will also demand a Rs 3,000-crore financial package for people affected by the ban on iron ore mining in the state.

Sources in Delhi stated that three ministers in the Parrikar cabinet, namely Mahadev Naik, Alina Saldanha and Avertano Furtado along with a posse of BJP legislators including Kiran Kandolkar, Anant Shet, Pramod Sawant and Ganesh Gaonkar have already reached the national capital.

Parrikar is expected to join them either late evening or tomorrow morning, sources said.

PTI