Cong-led govt in Goa in further trouble as MLA decides to quit

PANAJI: Congress government in Goa faced fresh trouble on Thursday with one of the party MLAs deciding to quit the assembly bringing down its support further.
 
Congress legislator Shyam Satardekar is likely to quit the assembly to support NCP which will bring down Congress' strength from 15 to 14 in the 40-member assembly.
 
With support of two Save Goa Front MLAs, the ruling front will be left with support of only 17 MLAs.
 
Meanwhile, Anil Salgaonkar, an independent MLA on Thursday declared that he was neutral in current developments.
 
The Congress-led coalition government in the state was on Wednesday reduced to a minority when its constituent NCP and an Independent MLA withdrew support, sparking a fresh political crisis which saw three ministers resigning.
      
The ministers Vishavajit Rane (Independent), Francisco Pachecho and Joace Philip D'Souza (both NCP) had tendered their resignations to Governor S C Jamir on Wednesday.
      
The opposition BJP has 14 members and MGP has two MLAS.