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7 from Cong inducted into Goa cabinet

June 10, 2005 11:58 IST

Despite the Nationalist Congress Party's threat to withdraw support to the four-day-old Pratapsinh Rane government, seven Congressmen were on Friday morning inducted into the Congress-led ministry.

These included three legislators who got elected in the recently held by-polls-- Digambar Kamat, Babush Monserette and Pandurang Madkaikar. They had quit the Bharatiya Janata Party in February, toppling the four-year-old Manohar Parrikar government.

The other four include Luizinho Faleiro, Dayanand Narvekar, Subhash Shirodkar and Joaquim Alemao.

Micky Pacheco, the NCP legislator who had also quit the BJP and got re-elected in the by-polls, has not been included.

Deputy Chief Minister Wilfred de Souza, the local NCP leader, has threatened to withdraw support to the government, if Pacheco is not included.

Goa has a limit of 12-member cabinet and Rane has still kept two seats vacant, inducting only 10 ministers till date.

Meanwhile, NCP president has reportedly decided to send his party emissaries to Goa to discuss the issue with the local Congress leaders and find a solution.

Sandesh Prabhudesai in Panaji