SURAT, 11 June 2005 — The Congress-led coalition government in Goa, headed by Pratap Sinh Rane, is facing a crisis after just three days in power. Its ally the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is threatening to withdraw support to the government over a Cabinet post.
NCP leader Sharad Pawar, here to attend the party’s two-day national convention, said that the NCP cannot be taken for granted by the Congress. The crisis is due to the non-inclusion of some NCP legislators in the new government. Deputy Chief Minister and the lone NCP leader in the government Dr. Wilfred D’Souza warned the Congress that if their party’s Bhikki Pesheko is not given a post in the Goa ministry, the NCP will withdraw its support to the government.
Rane is scheduled to expand his ministry, bringing the strength to 12. The present government has 3 ministers.
