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Rane govt to seek confidence vote on Feb 24

     Panaji: The Pratapsinh Rane government in Goa was today understood to have decided to seek a vote of confidence on the floor of the state assembly on February 24. The decision was taken at a meeting of the cabinet here, sources said. The cabinet recommendation has been sent to Governor S C Jamir whose notification for the special session of the assembly for the floor test was awaited, they said. Meanwhile, Goa BJP has flown most of its MLAs on a sojourn in Jaipur, in an effort to keep its flock together till the Congress-led government proves its majority in the assembly. Fourteen BJP legislators and UGDP MLA Mathany Saldanha had arrived in the Pink city yesterday night from Mumbai by a regular flight of a private airline, party sources said. Goa BJP president Rajendra Arlekar, former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and two other MLAs stayed back in Panaji, they said, adding that 14 others and Saldanha are staying in a resort on the outskirts of Jaipur. The MLAs are expected to stay in the city at least till tonight. They can move to any other place any moment on the direction of party high command, they said. They are likely to meet President A P J Abdul Kalam in Delhi to complain against "illegal" sacking of BJP government in Goa by the state Governor.

BJP packs some of its Goa MLAs to royal Jaipur (Go To Top)

     Jaipur: Fearing the uncertainty and cheating in the Goa political air ahead of the February 27 trail of strength, the BJP has reportedly sent some of its MLAs from Goa to Jaipur late on Thursday night. Officially it is being touted that these members are on a private trip to the Pink City and are being secluded at a posh health resort in a village near Jaipur. It is believed that to keep its MLAs together and in good humour and spirit, the party has taken this step. Goa Governor S C Jamir had dismissed Parrikar led government on February 2 and had sworn in a Congress ministry headed by Pratapsinh Rane. The two-and-half year old Goa government led by the BJP was dismissed shortly after Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar won a controversial vote of confidence amidst pandemonium in the assembly when the Speaker had Independent MLA Philipe Neri Rodriguez removed from the House. Speaker Vishwas Satarkar declared that the one-line motion moved by the Chief Minister reposing confidence in his council of ministers was carried after BJP members raised their hands in support while the entire Congress-led opposition was in the well protesting the eviction of Rodriguez. Immediately after the House was adjourned, the Congress-led opposition met the Governor demanding Parrikar government's dismissal. In a sudden development, Jamir dismissed the Parrikar government with immediate effect. The 40 member Goa assembly, with an effective voting strength of 36 now, is equally divided between the ruling party and the opposition and it's very hard to predict which side will win the February 27 acid test.

Militant killed in gunbattle with security forces in J&K (Go To Top)

     Srinagar: Security forces killed an unidentified militant in an ongoing gunbattle in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir. The gunbattle reportedly broke out this morning at Ganwohpora near Shopian, 55 kms from here, after security forces sealed the area. Forces had got the information that militants were hiding in the area and when last reports were received, the encounter was going on. The officials, however, confirmed that one militant has been killed in the encounter.

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