Goa politics: scheming, blackmailing…

Is the issue of leadership change going to be a blessing for one or two Congress MLAs to make a comeback in the Digambar Kamat-led Cabinet?

It seems so going by the turn the issue of leadership change has taken now. When a few ministers and MLAs of the non-Congress coalition made the demand for change in leadership in January this year, half a dozen of the Congress MLAs and one minister followed suit. This is also because, for change in leadership, the demand had to first come from the party men itself. Hard lobbying was made by dissidents but Digambar Kamat's camp too put up a strong defence and even won over some members of the dissident camp.

As reported earlier, Speaker Pratapsing Rane and PWD Minister Churchill Alemao had thrown their hat in the ring. Initially the delay in taking any decision on the part of high command was due to lack of consensus. But eventually, the High Command ruled that it cannot have father and son in the cabinet if the former is going to head the government. Sources said that Rane declining to contest the Lok Sabha seat from North Goa on health grounds and on the other showing willingness to take over the reins in the event of leadership change didn't go well with the High Command. Though Churchill appeared to have more support, the High Command doesn't appear very keen in letting him to take over from Kamat.

In the process, Kamat strengthened his position as 1-2 switched sides. And when the High Command indicated that it didn't favour Pratapsing Rane with his son in the cabinet, Vishwajeet seems to have changed his stand. According to a highly placed source, when the dissidents pressed for leadership change, the High Command had made inquiries of an alternate leader. Just as what it did in Maharashtra – getting young Chavan with a clean image to replace Deshmukh, it showed same kind of interest here. But the choice is not clear. Only two names came up.

Apparently, realizing that the demand for leadership change was not well acceptable to the High Command, 2-3 dissident members of the Congress decided to compromise provided they were made ministers. As Cumbharjua MLA Pandurang Madkaikar's name was cleared by the High Command months ago, he was told that instead of leadership change, he would be inducted in the cabinet. The other senior beleaguered MLA who had been one of the main strategists in the anti-Digambar Kamat campaign, also pressed for a similar demand, sources in the Congress.

To make truce, the chief minister agreed. And yesterday Madkaikar was to be inducted but it fizzled out because the minister to be dropped was from the Group of 7. The group however, is practically six in number as Tourism Minister Mickky Pacheco has already moved to the Kamat camp. Though there was no confirmation yesterday, rumours were that Dayanand Narvekar – who has reportedly lobbied hard - would also be given a berth in the cabinet. A Congressman wanted to know as to how could MLAs who have tried hard to replace Kamat now use tactics to become ministers under the same chief minister.

Was their campaign to change the CM mainly intended to put pressure on the high command to make a comeback in the ministry?

Did they make use of Churchill to raise the banner of revolt and put him in a tight spot? Can any Chief minister run the affairs of the state under such circumstances?

These questions are being discussed in the corridors of power and also in the Congress party.