Goa Congress confused over all party meet with PM

Panaji: Confusion prevailed in Goa Congress unit over participation in the all party delegation headed by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar that has gone to Delhi to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday.

While Congress Goa unit spokesman Sudip Tamankar said that the party was "not invited to be the part of the delegation by BJP-led state government," a senior party leader said that "Congress legislative party leader Pratapsingh Rane was invited." Party sources said that Congress MP Francisco Sardinha, who is currently in Delhi, would join the delegation when it goes to meet the Prime Minister later in the evening. The delegation is demanding a financial package of Rs 3,000 for the people affected with the closure of iron ore mining industry in Goa and also special powers for the state government to enact a legislation to restrict the sale of land to non-Goans. "Congress has not been invited by Parrikar to be a part of the delegation. There is no official letter written by CM`s office to the party office," Tamankar told reporters this afternoon. He said that the party has not boycotted the delegation`s visit to PM, but might not join because it is not invited. A senior Congress leader, however, said that the party will request Sardinha to join the delegation in the larger interest of the state. PTI