the goan I network
MARGAO
In a political development that has raised many an eyebrow in ruling and opposition circles, the three Goa Forward party Ministers not only stayed away from the swearing-in ceremony, but Party Chief and deputy Chief Minister Vijai Sardesai on Wednesday evening played host to three Congress MLAs, including two MLAs who were reportedly zeroed in by the ruling party to cross sides.
Sardesai, sources said, was huddled with the three Congress MLAs, including a senior Congress MLA at his residence on Wednesday evening hours before Deepak Pauskar could be sworn in by the Governor later in the evening.
The meeting between the Goa Forward chief and the Congress MLAs coupled with Sardesai’s absence at the swearing in ceremony assumes significance and comes against the backdrop of the deputy Chief Minister’s disapproval of the manner in which the two MGP MLAs split from the party in a midnight development.
The purpose behind the meeting between the Goa Forward chief and the three MLAs, sources said, was apparently to scuttle moves in ruling circles to wean the two Congress MLAs to the ruling side. It could not be immediately ascertained what transpired between the Goa Forward Chief and the three Congress MLAs and whether
it was an attempt to scuttle attempts by the ruling party to wean away the Congress MLAs.
Sources in the Goa Forward interpreted the absence of the three Party Ministers at the swearing-in ceremony as an attempt by the party chief to convey to the major coalition partner that by breaking Babu Azgaonkar and Deepak Pauskar from the MGP, the BJP tally has only increased to 14 on par with the Congress and that the regional party cannot be taken for granted in any political equation.
Sources further informed that a host of BJP leaders, including party organizing secretary Satish Dhond, tried to establish contact with Sardesai apparently to soothen ruffled feathers given that the Goa Forward party chief had earlier in the day strongly disapproved the midnight political split in the MGP.
That the Goa Forward Chief demanded that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant come clear on the future political road map in a post-Parrikar period is a clear signal to the major coalition partner that the regional player will not take things lying down.
