Parrikar govt wins trust vote

PANAJI: Chief minister Manohar Parrikar has won the floor test with 22 members in support in the 40-member house.
The motion to prove the strength of Parrikar-led government was passed smoothly. When the count was taken, the ruling dispensation had 22 votes in its favour while the opposition Congress got only 16. Vishwajit Rane who was vocal against the Congress leadership for its failure to form the government, remained absent. NCP MLA Churchill Alemao and an independent Prasad Gaonkar are learnt to have voted in favour of the motion. Two days ago, Goankar had extended support to the BJP-led government while on Wednesday, Alemao's workers had asked the Benaulim MLA to support the government during the floor test so that the constituency is not neglected.
.
After Parrikar cobbled up majority, the BJP-led coalition has three member each of Goa Forward and MGP, two independents. BJP has 13 members and Congress 17. A 10-member council of ministers was sworn in on Tuesday. The governor Mridula Sinha had earlier asked Parrikar to prove his majority on the floor of the house within 15 days. Later, the supreme court, on a petition filed the Congress party challenging the governor's decision not to invite the single largest party, advanced the floor test for today.