Trouble brewing for Congress-led government in Goa

Stability of the three-year-old Congress-led coalition in Goa appears to be under threat with seven MLAs deciding not to support the Finance Bill over the issue of Chief Minister Digambar Kamat planning to drop an MGP legislator from the cabinet.

The MLAs, who have come together to form a group called G7, have said the government should “not consider their support for the Finance Bill” in the Assembly which is meeting for the budget session from March 22.

The legislators fired their first salvo when five of them, who are Ministers, boycotted the Cabinet meeting held this morning at the Secretariat G7 comprises three legislators from NCP, two from Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), one from United Goans Democratic Party (UGDP) and an Independent. Their support is crucial for the survival of the government which is headed by the Congress with 18 MLAs in a House of 40.