APPARENTLY it appears that with Mr Vishwajeet Rane back in the Congress and prime mover of the G-7, Mr Atanasio Monserrate joining the Congress rank, the Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat is in an unenviable position and has a firm grip on the government.

But in politics the ground situation seldom reflects the inner reality. Basic contradictions continue to exist in the government as well as in the party and their effective handling by Mr Kamat would decide the future of his government.
No doubt Mr Kamat deserves appreciation for running the fragile coalition government with divergent political forces putting his perseverance and political acumen to test. To be honest to Mr Kamat ever since he formed the coalition government in June 2007 with 16 Congress members, he had to devote his time and energy to counter the coups. While this sent the message that Mr Kamat was a weak chief minister and was heading a fragile government the worst victim of this machination was Goa and its people. One has to admit the fact that denying him the opportunity and even space to sincerely devote to the development works has its adverse impact on the economic growth of the state. It is an open secret that most of the development projects could not be undertaken in the right perspective. The fragility factor also prevented him from making certain important decisions as was seen in the case of SEZs. Under pressure the government agreed to not to have any SEZ, but it desperately felt the need to have industries for the inclusive growth of the state.     
Goa has the dubious distinction of having the most unstable governments in the country. It is indeed shocking that over ambitious legislatures never allowed the governments to function in a smooth and effective manner. Viewed in this background Mr Kamat should certainly be credited with running a coalition government notwithstanding facing at least three major coup attempts, the first being in July 2007, within a month of his becoming chief minister. What could the people of Goa expect from the government which faced consistent threat of being voted out during the assembly sessions? It obviously implied that certain Congress legislators nurse the feeling to have a new chief minister. This will persist even after Mr Rane and Mr Monserrate join the Congress.
In public perception Mr Kamat has emerged stronger. But his real test lies in undertaking the development works with more sincerity and effectiveness. The induction of Mr Rane and Mr Monserrate had widened the support base of the Congress. Mr Kamat should use this to reach out to the common people and ensure that the people are denied of the benefits of various welfare projects. It is not enough that he should be seen as a “strong leader”, he should live upto this new found strength and image. His government is now more a fragile structure. He should steer it to meet the challenges of the economic growth and development and also identify with the aspirations of the people of Goa. It is peoples’ power which sustains a politician.