IF there was arm twisting by the BJP in forming a government in Manipur, it was not so in Goa. Eyebrows may have been raised about the Supreme Court tampering with the date of floor testing in the Goa Assembly, but the exercise passed off peacefully. The BJP led coalition government passed the crucial floor test by winning 22 votes against 16 in the 40 member Goa assembly with the lone NCP legislator Churchill Alemao supporting the regime. Congress MLA Vishwajit Rane left the house. The floor test was taken on the directives of the Supreme Court after Congress sought a stay on Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s swearing in ceremony. Parrikar has distributed the portfolios and will present the budget on March 24. Portfolios will be given to two Independent and on portfolio to Maharashtra Gomantak Party MLA Ramkrsihna ‘Sudin’ and Dhavalikar. Parrikar has said that his party has proved to the people of India that it had the support of the people by proving it on the floor of the House. Everyone voluntarily came out and voted. None was kept secluded in a hotel room as was the case of the Opposition.
Parrikar had a dig at the AICC General Secretary and Goa- in-charge Digvijaya Singh. He said that the Congress had made an unnecessary fuss hyping the issue. From the beginning the Congress did not have the numbers. It was because there was a demand from within the party to persuade Digvijay Singh to step down. There have been rumblings within the party after the Congress lost the trust vote. Vishwajit Rane, Congress MLA resigned immediately after taking the vote. He launched a tirade against Congress Central Leadership. UP, Manipur and Goa – it is a BJP sweep.