MARGAO
With the Congress having a strength of 16 MLAs in the 40-member Goa Legislative Assembly, it is ready for coordination with like-minded parties and independents on the floor of the House for the smooth passage of the resolution demanding installation of Jack Sequeira’s statue in the Assembly complex.
“Yes, the Congress party is ready and willing to coordinate with all like-minded parties and individuals to ensure the success of the resolution on Sequeira’s statue,” Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) President Shantaram Naik told The Goan on Saturday.
Shantaram’s remarks assume significance and come against the backdrop of reports that the Congress, BJP’s Michael Lobo and NCP’s Churchill Alemao, have proposed to table resolutions in
the ensuing Budget session of the Assembly in support of Sequeira’s statue. “As the main Opposition party having as many as 16 MLAs, the Congress party is ready for floor coordination to ensure that the resolution in support of Sequeira’s statue gets a smooth passage,” Shantaram said. He reminded that the Congress Legislature Party has already adopted a unanimous resolution at its recent meeting, adding that the will of the party will be reflected in the Assembly when the resolution comes up in the ensuing session.
To a question, the GPCC president said right now the Congress party has not been in talks with the like-minded parties and individuals, who share similar sentiments on Sequeira’s statue. “As I have said, the Congress party will play its role in getting support of all the like-minded parties on the resolution,” he said. Installation of Sequeira’s statue in the Legislative Assembly has the backing of ruling coalition partner Goa Forward Party, who has been on record to assert that there cannot be any compromise on the statue. On the other hand, coalition partner, MGP has expressed strong reservations and have instead proposed installation of statues of nationalists such as Ram Manohar Lohia and and eminent Goan freedom fighter T B Cunha in the Assembly complex. The BJP too is a house divided on the contentious issue, even though Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has not publicly not rejected the proposal till date. While Deputy Speaker and BJP’s Calangute MLA Michael Lobo appeared firm in his resolve to move a resolution in the House demanding Sequeira’s statue, party MLA Rajesh Patnekar has pitched in for the statue of Maratha King Shivaji.
