Goa News

Amid the ongoing tussle between the Congress and the ruling BJP-led coalition government in Goa, the formalin-in-fish controversy raised its head again on Saturday, after Congress leaders, armed with testing kits, visited a popular fish market in South Goa and claimed that the fish sold there was still being contaminated with formalin.

In a fresh bid to pressure the BJP-led coalition government in Goa, several of whose ministers have been hospitalised due to severe ailments, 16 Congress MLAs on Friday issued notice to the State legislature secretary demanding removal of Speaker Pramod Sawant.

The Opposition Congress in Goa on Friday gave a notice for removal of Assembly Speaker Pramod Sawant.

The Goa Forward Party, an alliance partner of the ruling BJP, said yesterday it does not favour leadership change in Goa, but the ailing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar should delegate powers to other ministers

Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane Thursday ruled out a change in the leadership of the BJP-led dispensation on account of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's ill health, and alleged the Congress was playing to the gallery by staking claim to form the government as it did not have the required numbers.

Ten priests from various mosques in Goa conducted Quran Khawani, a ritualistic reading of the Quran, for quick recovery of ailing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, an official said on Thursday.

The opposition Congress in Goa on Wednesday claimed that it had the support of over 21 legislators in the 40-member Assembly, giving it enough strength to form the government in the state.

As Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has been in and out of hospitals for treatment in the last few months, the Congress has alleged that the administration had "collapsed" and today staked claim to form the government.

The BJP leaders from Delhi who are visiting Goa on Sunday to assess the political situation in the coastal state against the backdrop of the failing health of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, will ask the alliance partners of the saffron party to consider a merger with it, a senior leader said here on Saturday.

Ailing Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Friday evening left a private hospital, where he was admitted for the last two days, to attend Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations at his ancestral home in Parra village, located about 10 km from Panaji.

Opposition Congress in Goa wrote to Governor Wednesday, expressing fear that Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar may dissolve the Assembly as he is "losing grip" over allies and facing intra-party politics.

The Goa government has withdrawn the stringent checking of fish brought from outside at the state's border and instead, will conduct random inspection of the stock in local markets, a minister said today

The Goa police arrested a 35-year-old man on Friday for allegedly breaking into homes in his underwear, at an apartment complex at night, staring at women and occasionally stealing cash.

Goa BJP leader Rajendra Arlekar ruled out Wednesday, the possibility of leadership change in the state, claiming that Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar was capable of handling the situation even though he was away.

Goa Congress President Girish Chodankar on Wednesday denied reports of Congress lawmaker and former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat joining the BJP, and said it was an attempt by the BJP to divert people's attention from the failures of its coalition government.