NCP demands three ministerial berths in Kamat govt

PANAJI: With no deputy chief ministerial post in their booty, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Monday demanded three ministerial berths for its legislators in Digamber Kamat-led government.

"The Congress has decided not (not) to have deputy chief minister's post. We have put up a proposal for three ministerial bearths," Dr Wilfred D'souza, Goa NCP chief, told reporters here.

The Sharad Pawar-led party, with three legislators, has allied with Congress and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) to form the state coalition government.

In the earlier Pratapsingh Rane-led government, NCP was given deputy chief minister's post which was enjoyed by Dr D'souza. This time, the party after insisting for deputy chief minister's post have toned down its "claim".

Post-June two elections, NCP's legislature wing chief Jose Philip D'souza has already been inducted into the state cabinet along with the chief minister, Ravi Naik (Congress) and Sudin alias Ramkrishna Dhavalikar (MGP).

The NCP Goa unit president said that independent legislator Anil Salgaoncar has also extended his support to the NCP. "He has not joined the party but instead is supporting it in the legislative assembly which takes the party's actual strength to four on the floor of the house," he said.