Former CM to move bill seeking special status for Goa
Panaji, June 30: Former Goa Chief Minister and Congress MLA Luizinho Faleiro on Saturday said he will move a private member's bill in the upcoming monsoon session of the state Legislative Assembly, seeking special status for Goa.
"There is a need for a small state like Goa to preserve and protect its unique identity, culture, tradition, heritage and its landscape, under Article 375 of the Constitution. The bill will be a step towards getting special status for Goa," Faleiro told a press conference at state Congress state headquarters here.
For the last few years, the talks of seeking special status for Goa have been doing the rounds in the political and social circles in the state, which has been facing challenges stemming from rapid in-migration, shrinking land resources and a resultant dilution of identity.
The issue of special status had been raised by all the major political parties in Goa, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress, in the run-up to the 2012 state Assembly polls and the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
The BJP-led coalition government which was subsequently voted to power, was instrumental in moving a unanimous resolution in the Assembly demanding special status for Goa.
But, after winning the polls, then Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar had said that the seeking special status for Goa was like "running after a mirage".
Over the last couple of years, top BJP national leaders have also rejected the possibility of Goa being granted special status through a constitutional amendment.
Faleiro now claims that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in Delhi, has the necessary numerical strength to grant special status to Goa by a legislative act, which he claimed was not the case with the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government which was in power at the Centre from 2004-2014.
"Now, the present government could have definitely given special status because they have got the desired majority in Parliament and they have done in many cases like in judicial accountability bill which was ratified by Parliament," Faleiro said.
The 12-day monsoon session of the Goa legislative assembly is scheduled to begin from July 19.
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Kharge has put 'full stop' to leadership speculation in Karnataka: Minister Parameshwara
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Friday said AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge has put a "full stop" on the issue of leadership change in the state.
Kharge's statement has a lot of significance and there ends the matter for now. Everyone in the party should respect and accept this, he said.
Parameshwara was referring to Kharge's statement on Thursday that there was no chief minister change in Karnataka "for now" and that the leadership issue in the state will be resolved soon.
Kharge's statement came amid speculation within the party and political circles about a possible decision on leadership change and cabinet reshuffle after May 4, once the results for assembly elections in four states and one union territory, along with bypolls to two assembly segments in Karnataka, are announced.
"Mallikarjun Kharge is our party's national president. He has a lot of experience. Several people, including me, have said that in the case of change (in leadership), if he (Kharge) comes (as CM), no one could speak in front of his experience and everyone would accept it. While replying to it, Kharge said that there is a chief minister now, and there is no question of change as of now," Parameshwara said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "I welcome his (Kharge) statement because I feel he has expressed his opinion after a discussion involving him, Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, K C Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala (both AICC general secretaries). I may be right or wrong. I feel that his statement has a lot of significance. So that matter ends there for now."
Responding to a question on repeated statements by several party leaders regarding leadership change, the home minister said, what the AICC chief has said on the matter is final. It should be respected and accepted by all in the party. There is no meaning in interpreting it further.
"I cannot respond to what others say, but I can say my opinion. In my opinion, the AICC chief is the supreme authority in the party. He, along with Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, are our high command. If the high command has said something, we should both respect and accept it. There ends the matter," he said.
Kharge has put a "full stop" on the issue, he further said, adding that, "When he has said there is no change. It is a full stop."
Responding to a question on Parameshwara's recent statement about Kharge becoming chief minister, the AICC chief on Thursday said, "You (media), he (Parameshwara), and people at the top say that it is better if I become CM. But more than fate, as per my ideology and my service to the party so far, Sonia Gandhi makes decisions regarding me."
He had further said, "But that question does not arise now. There is already a CM here. If Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and I together have to take any decision in that direction, it will take some time. Let's wait and see."
Kharge on Friday too said no date has been fixed yet to discuss a possible leadership change in Karnataka.
Supporters of Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar have been insisting on his elevation in line with a reported power-sharing agreement with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah when the party won the 2023 Assembly elections. Some have even claimed that "sweet news" is expected by May 15, which is Shivakumar's birthday.
The leadership tussle within the ruling party has intensified amid speculation about a possible change of chief minister after the Congress government completed the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20, 2025.
The speculation has been fuelled by a reported "power-sharing" arrangement between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar at the time of government formation in 2023.
