Won't pull out of Goa govt: Pawar

| 10 June 2005 19:16 IST

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Friday accused the Goa Congress of not observing the 'coalition dhrama'.

He, however, said his party would not pull out of the government.

"This is injustice. It's the responsibility of the (Pratapsinh) Rane government to induct our legislators," the NCP chief said.

"Congress is going against its promise by inducting only its MLAs in the cabinet expansion," he added.

Pawar was addressing journalists before the beginning of the second day proceedings of the party's national convention in Surat.

"Although we are not happy at what is happening, we will not take any action that would benefit the Bharatiya Janata Party," the Union agriculture minister said.

"There is bound to be disagreement in coalition politics but one has to look at the larger interests," he added.

Earlier today, Pawar discussed the Goa situation with NCP leader in Goa, Dr Wilfred D'Souza, union minister Praful Patel and party general secretary Tariq Anwar.

On Thursday night, he had threatened to withdraw support to the Rane government if the commitment of including NCP MLA (Mikky Pacheco) was not honoured.

Congress leader Pratapsinh Rane was sworn in as the chief minister of Goa on June 7, after the three-month-old President's rule was revoked.

In a 39-member assembly, Rane enjoys the support of 21 members, including 18 from his own party, two NCP and one MGP MLAs.

The Congress' strength increased from 15 after three of its candidates won the recent byelections.

These three# Digambar Kamat, Babush Monserette and Pandurang Madkaikar# had quit the BJP in February, thereby toppling the four-year old Parrikar government.

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