Amidst a huge crowd of supporters this afternoon 25th June 2005 at 1634 hrs, and ironically while the country commemorates its 30th anniversary of declaration of EMERGENCY in India by the late Prime Minister Ms Indira Gandhi, in 1975 the Nationalist Congress Party MLA from Benaulim Constituency Mr Francisco (Micky) Pacheco was sworn is the 11th Minister of the INC led NCP MGP combine in the State.
This fulfills the aspiration of all those who had made the "sacrifice' to unseat the Parrikar Government. In fact CM Mr Rane played the same game of patience which he then played with MLA Churchill Braz Alemao MLA of Benaulim by keeping him waiting for three months denying him the coveted Sports portfolio which resulted in Rane government being unseated and the Progressive Democratic Front coming to power. This Mr Rane regretted later as his three term CM status record in the country besides Mr J B Patnaik of Orrisa was abruptly brought to an end by Mr Alemao. This time he played the same game but knew too well that only option left for Dr Willy de Souza NCP MLA was to side with the BJP and that would suit Mr Rane to paint him a communalist and an opportunist, but that did not happen despites Dr Willy's non sensical utterances and threats on a National audio visual media. Incidentally tommorrow also the SC is likely to take up the case of Mr Arlekar and Mr Mandrekar MLAs Vasco and Siolim whose elections were set aside for holding "office of profit" at the time of contest in June 2002 and were granted a thirty day stay by HC of Bombay Panaji bench to appeal in the SC. Portfolio for Mr Pacheco may be announced tommorrow or later. There is a case of shack burning in Betalbatim involving Mr Pacheco alongwith others due to come up for final judgement on 5th July, 2005. It is not known what Mr Rane has up his sleeves, but then he could not afford to delay things any longer for the lone Rajya Sabha seat is falling vacant with the completion of term of Mr Eduardo Faleiro in July 2005. These elections are held within the MLAs of the House and Mr Rane may have to face an embarassing situation of having to face an election instead of an unanimous choice. Such elections have been quite embarrasing for the ruling party as cross voting could come with dissidents throwing the spanners to "reform" a CM > This the High Command of the INC may not tolerate and hence the clearance for Pacheco to be inducted. As things stand both Mr Rauraje Deshprabhu stands a chance of being elected and he seems to fit the bill, given the fact that he is a staunch INC loyalist he was denied Ministership on the simple understanding that his Pernem Assembly Constituency will now have a Scheduled Caste representative instead of erstwhile Dhargalim Assembly Constituency. Hence Rane needs to as a quid pro quo for his one man mission of Mr Parrikar bashing reward him with the RS seat. Others who could excel is Mr Shantaram Naik Desai from Cuncolim ex MP Lok Sabha who is a well versed legal luninary but with the North Goa LS MP being a BJP and South Goa MP an INC member the opportunity to Mr Deshprabhu seems obvious. Mr Khalap has been making all efforts but there does not seem to be much support to have a MGP indoctrinated INC convert to represent Goa at the Rajya Sabha, hence his chances appear dim unless Mr Deshprabhu shirks the offer. While Pacheco may have succeded in his mission, it is now clear that Mr Pacheco will start building up his newly carved bastion the Nuvem Constituency which is carved out of part of the erstwhile Loutolim and Benaulim Constituency and with this the UGDP Mr Radharao ex MLA Loutolim and Mr Aleixo Sequeira the present MLA Loutolim will have their prospects weakened for the next hustings in May 2007. In any case Mr Aleixo owes his political entry due to Mr Eduardo Faleiro a close relative and with Mr Faleiro out this July end Mr Sequeira may not have much political clout. This is the latest development besides the Chairpersons to be appointed for the nearly dozens odd Corporations according to the political grape wine this writer gathered from some disgruntled politicians who have not taken to kindly having been denied the Ministerial rankings. from the DONA PAULA end GODFREY J I GONSALVES [EMAIL PROTECTED] ( _______________________________________________________ Too much spam in your inbox? Yahoo! Mail gives you the best spam protection for FREE! http://in.mail.yahoo.com