Panaji: Congress on Friday rubbished speculation
of a possible change in leadership in Goa in the backdrop of
the probe into illegal mining in the state, in which names of
a few party leaders have surfaced.
"There are no talks of leadership change. Digambar Kamat
will continue (as Goa Chief Minister)," Goa Pradesh Congress
Committee president Subhash Shirodkar told reporters here.
Speculation about a possible leadership change in Goa
grew after Kamat and Shirodkar were summoned to Delhi by
Congress high command earlier this week.
Shirodkar said the Delhi trip was in connection with
preparations for the forthcoming state legislative assembly
election.
Talking to agency, Kamat blamed the media for the rumours.
"Local media has been writing about leadership change
although I had clarified to them that I had gone for a
different meeting in Delhi," the Chief Minister said.
The Justice M B Shah Commission has begun inquiry into
the multi-crore illegal mining trade in the state, which is
estimated to be somewhere between Rs 1,200 crore and Rs 10,000
crore by different agencies.
During the initial investigation by the Commission, names
of a few Congress politicians, including Goa Urban Development
Minister Joaquim Alemao and Dinar Tarcar, had surfaced.
Role of the state government, which failed to control
illegal iron ore trade, has also been questioned by the Shah
Commission.
PTI
First Published: Friday, September 23, 2011, 19:13