-------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Wishing all Goanetters | | a Prosperous | | and | | Happy New Year - 2006 | | Goanet - http://www.goanet.org | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Notwithstanding claims of CM of Goa Mr. Pratapsing Raoji Rane, or CM of Karnataka Mr Dharam Singh both who head coalition Governments in their respective states that "there will be no midterm polls " in their States it is clear that as of now both Goa and Karnataka are heading for polls by first week May 2006.
Buoyed by its thumping success in the recently concluded local bodies elections in Karnataka and the dilema it has put its coalition partner headed by the ex PM Mr H D Deve Gowda in Karnataka followed by a similar situation for the Opposition BJP in Goa ; the INC feels its time opportune to go to the polls and win with a convincing majority to run a Government on its own rather than be pulled by the pressures from coalition partners which the Congress has accepted only owing to political expediency and not as a rule. While on a two day visit to Goa the All India Congress Committee General Secretary looking after the Goa Desk Ms Margaret Alva, brief appeared to be : a) to douse flames sparked by Mr Ravi Sitaram Naik's GPCC President, MLA Ponda & Chairman of the Economic Development Corporation ---viz to clear proposal of a ONE TIME SETTLEMENT ----plainly speaking a waiver of loan outstandings of some "business houses loanees " which the Cabinet had disapproved last November, 2005, and is now sought to be approved to please Mr Naik; The list of such beneficiaries incidentally till today is a "guarded secret" -- but is being ferreted out, by some interested quarters, under the RIGHT TO INFORMATION ACT ( in force on 12th October, 2005 ) to make it an election issue. This deal of Mr Naik seems to fall through as it could also fill the coffers of the Party which has been out of power from 24.10.2000 until 2nd February, 2005 or 7th June 2005 b) to placate Mormugao Parliamentary Constituency MP Mr Churchill Braz Alemao heading the "Yes to Dabolim No to Mopa" issue that the matter is being "examined" by the PM Dr Manmohan Singh and a committee will be appointed to ascertain the tourist projections for the next three four decades to gauge the need for another airport which translated means after six months reviving Mopa "de novo " Under these circumstances land acquisition proceedings may only be "stayed temporarily" but not "dropped in toto" as demanded by Mr Alemao. But this move is akin to the case of the then PM late Mr P V Narasimha Rao Prime Minister of India who in 1991 appointed the Justice Oza Commission to examine the route of the Konkan Railway and finally went ahead with the project WITHOUT diverting the route for a stretch of 21 kms in the interiors which was the demand of the agitators. The issue of Mopa will be the same and after six months period we could expect Mopa to go in full steam. Unless Mr Narayan Rane ex Shiv Sena CM of Maharastra and now in the Congress ---the new found Messiah of the Konkan region of Maharashtra finds land in Sawantwadi. Incidentally it was Ms Margaret Alva who as observer of Maharastra desk as well is credited for his resounding victory against the Shiv Sena candidate who lost his deposit. Hence Ms Alva may be inclined to have Mr Narayan Rane scout for a place in Sindhurga Maharashtra to have an airport and thereby empower the people economically of this backward region. This seems more convincing because the Ministry of Civil Aviation has cleared the over 500 crore upgradation of the Dabolim terminal by 2007 and is awaiting the Defence authorities to part with some more land held by the Navy in Goa. The silence of Mr Churchill Alemao could be read as a confirmation of this prospect. The CM Mr Pratapsing Rnae has also been asked to expedite administration which is a clear indication that the "non performance of the present coalition government " has been taken note of seriously by the High Command in comparison to the administration of Mr Parrikar headed coalition Government. But what earns legitimacy to this belief is that the entire intensive revision of electoral rolls for 2006 will be completed on 24 April, 2006. Another reason for the mid term polls is to offset the prospects of going to the polls before the new delimitation of constituencies comes into force with 20 constituencies in the North and South respectively unlike the present 21 and 19 constituencies. If delimitation comes about then the prospects of Mr Jeetendra Deshprabhu MLA Pernem a pro Mopa votary could be affected with his present Pernem constituency becoming a Schedule Caste reserved constituency. from the dabolim airport GODFREY JI GONSALVES [EMAIL PROTECTED] BORDA MARGAO GOA Send instant messages to your online friends http://in.messenger.yahoo.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Goa - 2005 Santosh Trophy Champions | | | | Support Soccer Activities at the grassroots in our villages | | Vacationing in Goa this year-end - Carry and distribute Soccer Balls | --------------------------------------------------------------------------
