Goa Cong may severe ties with MGP

Congress leaders in Goa has resolved to recommend to the central leadership of their party that ties with the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak party (MGP), a coalition partner in the state government, be severed.

"The Goa Pradesh Congress Committee and Congress Legislative Party meeting has resolved to recommend to the high command that ties with the MGP be severed and its lone member Sudin Dhavlikar be dropped from the state cabinet," state Congress president Ravi Naik told reporters here.

A delegation of Congress leaders will visit Delhi on October 5 to meet the central leadership and present the resolution, Naik said. Today's meeting was attended by a majority of Congress leaders including chief minister Pratapsinh Rane.

"It was a unanimous resolution and there will be no repercussion on the government or the party organisation because of it," Naik said.

He said that MGP minister Dhavlikar, who holds the public works portfolio, has failed to adhere to the "coalition dharma" and was "discouraging

Congress workers who approached him for developmental works".

"Being in the government, he had decided on candidates against Congress leaders for the ensuing state legislative assembly elections," Naik said.

"He was building his party organisation at the cost of the government and Congress."