Pacheco, who held the tourism portfolio, quit this afternoon, a day after he was grilled for over eight hours by Crime Branch over the death of Nadia Torrado, 28, a close friend.
Goa chief minister Digamber Kamat today said NCP leader Fransisco Pacheco had taken the "right decision" in resigning from the state cabinet after his name cropped up in connection with the death of a friend.
Pacheco, who held the tourism portfolio, quit this afternoon, a day after he was grilled for over eight hours by Crime Branch over the death of Nadia Torrado, 28, a close friend.
The 28-year-old woman died in Chennai on Sunday after allegedly consuming poison.
"It was a right decision (by Pacheco) to quit because the NCP high command had asked him to do so," Kamat said.
Asked about the case, the chief minister said, "I can't comment on it at this juncture. Police are doing their investigations."
Kamat said he had spoken to NCP president Sharad Pawar in the morning and had briefed him about the events.
He said Congress and NCP high commands will jointly take a decision on who will replace Pacheco, who was also holding the housing board and ports portfolios, in the cabinet.
Party sources said the cabinet berth may be awarded to NCP legislator Nilkant Harlarnkar.
The 40-member assembly has 18 Congress MLAs and 14 of BJP. NCP has three, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party has two, United Goans Democratic Party has one while two are independents.
As per the alliance agreement, NCP was awarded two cabinet berths in the Congress-led government.
The other NCP minister is Jose Philip D'Souza, who has been given revenue and civil supplies portfolios.
Kamat said he will submit a detailed report on the happenings in Goa to the party high command and only after that, the date for swearing-in of the NCP legislator in place of Pacheco would be decided.
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