Mickky Pacheco's induction would be problematic for Goa govt: Congress

The Congress today refused to induct Nationalist Congress party (NCP) legislator Fransisco Mickky Pacheco in the cabinet stating that his induction would result into threat to Digamber Kamat-led government in Goa.

"I met congress legislators and ministers who told me that induction of Pacheco would be a problematic for the state government," All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary B Hariprasad told reporters in Panaji this afternoon.

He said that since Congress has very thin majority in the state, it will not take any chance that would cost the party, its government in the state.

"Pacheco has charges of murdering a woman against him. It will be difficult for Congress to have him inducted, till he is cleared off the charges," Hariprasad said.

The AICC emissary this morning held meeting with the group of dissident Congress legislators, who had threatened to pull down the government, if Pacheco is inducted.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar had asked Kamat to drop two ministers, both from NCP, and induct Pacheco.

Pawar's directives had triggered political turmoil in the state with group of 10 Congress legislators threatening to pull down the government.

When pointed out that it was Pawar's wish to have Pacheco inducted, Hariprasad said that NCP high command would be briefed about the feelings expressed by Goa congress legislators.

"We are not determining who should be in the cabinet but as a coalition dharma, it is the duty of both the parties to sit across the table and discuss the issues," he said.

He also added that it will be difficult to drop NCP ministers - Jose Philip D'Souza and Nilkant Halarnkar — as such a move would destabilise the government.

"I don't want to take a chance," he said adding that Congress will not allow any person with charges of murder to be inducted in the cabinet.

Congress legislator Churchill Alemao, after meeting Hariprasad said, "We never said that we will topple the government. We will resign from the ministry. I will be with the party."

Alemao said that he has full faith in the high command and has trust that they will take proper decision. "Whatever we said is for the sake of the party," the leader said.