MGP petitions President, Governor complaining of threats

PANAJI: Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party  (MGP), a regional party which withdrew support to the Digamber Kamat-led government bringing it into minority, has alleged of "pressure tactics and threats" forcing them to reconsider their decision.

The party had petitioned President Pratibha Patil and Goa Governor S C Jamir seeking their intervention.

"I have been conveyed through various sources, a threat asking me to support the government, withdrawing all my resignations, or a motion would be moved before the speaker for my disqualification," Ramakrishna Dhavalikar, MGP legislative party wing president, who resigned from the ministership before withdrawing the support to the government, said.

The two-member MGP's decision to backout from Digamber Kamat-led government had plunged it into minority on July 25.

"There are other threats also which do not benefit the decorum and the decency to be maintained in the parliamentary system of democracy," Dhavalikar said in his petition to the President.

The MGP has said after they withdrew the support, their letters informing Governor about the move could not be faxed as "fax lines of Raj Bhavan were not functioning".

"We had to send the documents in person," the petition adds.

The MGP has said the ruling government has come into minority with 18 legislators while the BJP-led front has support of 20 legislators.