I can prove majority: CM

| 29 January 2005 22:55 IST

“I am still the chief minister of Goa and I can prove my majority on the floor of the House any moment”, said Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar.

Following the resignation drama of his party colleagues and supporting parties, Parrikar also produced a supporting fax letter sent by his tourism minister Mathany Saldhana, whose United Goans Democratic Party has withdrawn support to the government.

According to Parrikar, neither any minister has submitted him a resignation letter nor he is aware of any MLA resigning from the BJP.

“There is no question of meeting the governor in this regard since I continue enjoying majority support”, claimed Parrikar.

In a letter faxed to the chief minister, Saldhana has stated that his support to the government is unconditional and unqualified.

In a joint press conference held with the CM, the state BJP president Rajendra Arlekar termed the whole drama as the ‘10, Janapath conspiracy’.

He also alleged that Governor S C Jamir has joined hands with the Congress. “Let the Congress prove their majority in the House”, stated Arlekar.

Meanwhile, Speaker Vishwas Satarkar told the reporters that he had not yet accepted BJP legislators’ resignation letters, which are being received by the legislator secretary.

“I have not attended the office since Saturday-Sunday are holidays”, he quipped.

With Saldhana continuing to support the government and three BJP legislators quitting the party, the strength of the BJP-led government is now 19, in the 37-memebr House.

On the other hand, the 15-member Congress would get support of three legislators, one each from the Nationalist Congress Party, the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and the Independent, making it 18.

As the speaker is allowed to vote in case of a tie, the Parrikar government continues having edge in the Assembly, unless yet another member resigns from the ruling BJP.

Congress observer Margaret Alva has already said that the fourth resignation is in the pipeline. Transport minister Pandurang Madkaikar was already seen in the Congress camp at a star hotel here.

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