AERIAL VIEW
The Congress MLAs – Lobo, Sankalp, along with GPCC president Amit Patkar also managed to bring Digambar Kamat for the meeting with Dinesh Gundu Rao, and at that point in time, it seemed like all iz well in Congress.
At this point, it was decided that the Congress, with Dinesh Gundu Rao, the AICC in charge, would address a press conference in Panaji headquarters.
Dinesh Gundu Rao, Sankalp and Rudolf entered the Congress House, while Saligao MLA Kedar Naik and Cumbharjua MLA Rajesh Faldesai reached CM’s bungalow where the BJP functionaries were waiting to welcome them.
SURAJ NANDREKAR
Editor, Goemkarponn
Sunday, the auspicious day of Aashadi Ekadashi, turned out to be an eventful one in Goa, with the Congress finally managing to save an embarrassing situation.
It all started on Sunday morning with the rumours that BJP High Command had given a green signal for entry to 9 or 10 Congress MLAs.
However, to the nightmare of the MLAs who led the coup, the phone numbers of three MLAs of Congress turned out to be switched off – Yuri Alemao, Altone D’Costa and Carlos Almeida.
So by 10 or 11, it was clear that the entry would not happen or at least be delayed for now.
But again, as the Congress called for a meeting in Margao, only a handful of MLAs were present – Kedar Naik, Rajesh Faldesai, Sankalp Amonkar, Altone D’Costa and Yuri Alemao. But Delilah Lobo and Michael Lobo joined the meeting in the later part.
The Congress MLAs – Lobo, Sankalp, along with GPCC president Amit Patkar also managed to bring Digambar Kamat for the meeting with Dinesh Gundu Rao, and at that point in time, it seemed like all iz well in Congress.
At this point, it was decided that the Congress, with Dinesh Gundu Rao, the AICC in charge, would address a press conference in Panaji headquarters.
Dinesh Gundu Rao, Sankalp and Rudolf entered the Congress House, while Saligao MLA Kedar Naik and Cumbharjua MLA Rajesh Faldesai reached CM’s bungalow where the BJP functionaries were waiting to welcome them.
Michael Lobo, who entered Congress house at this point, gave a miss, saying he was going to the washroom and reached the CM’s residence.
This is where Sankalp missed the bus; he came down to search for Michael and, not finding him, he went up to the Congress house, after which no MLA was allowed to go down.
Seeing that Sankalp and Rudolf are stuck with the other MLAs, Altone D’Costa and Yuri Alemao changed their plans and landed in the Congress house to address a press conference.
Around 8 pm, Digambar Kamat left Margao along with Alexio Sequeira and reached Adv Carlos Alvares Fereira’s house in Aldona.
Carlos kept them waiting for a long time, left the house, and finally refused to join BJP, and he came to BJP.
Meanwhile, from CM’s residence, the dissident MLAs left in a BJP functionary’s car to a five-star hotel in Dona Paula, where they were joined by Digambar and Alexio Sequeira.
They made several attempts to contact Sankalp, Yuri, and Altone but in vain.
Sources revealed that two MLAs wanted assurance of ministries while two others wanted Rs 50 cr in cash, which was rejected outrightly by the BJP high command. After learning that the move wasn’t going through, the dissident MLA left hotels and for respective homes while the GPCC, not wanting to take any risk and protect the flock, kept them together at an undisclosed location.