Mumbai, July 29
Just a day before Goa's Chief Minister Digambar Kamat is to take a trust vote in the Assembly tomorrow afternoon, indications are that Speaker Pratapsinh Rane may disqualify two MLAs from the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party under the anti-defection laws.

The two MLAs, brothers Sudhin and Pandurang Dhavalikar, who were backing the Kamat government switched sides to back a BJP government led by Manohar Parrikar. Sudhin is at present the minister in charge of the Public Works Department in the Kamat government.

Today Pradip Naik, General Secretary, MGP filed a disqualification petition against the two MLAs before the Speaker on the grounds that the Dhavalikar brothers did not consult the party before switching support to the BJP. Rane has admitted the petition but has not announced his decision on it.

However observers say, Rane could announce the disqualification of the two MLAs just before the house meets to take the trust vote at 2:30 pm. This would ensure that the two MLAs do not have enough time to approach the courts and obtain a stay that would enable them to vote in the house.

Shortly after Naik filed the disqualification petition against the two MLAs he was sacked from the MGP by party president Pandurang Raut.

The Speaker has also suspended the voting rights of Congress MLA Victoria Fernandes who sent in her resignation from the house. The speaker has not formally accepted her resignation as party leaders try to bring her around.

The Congress party is also wooing Save Goa Front leader Churchill Alemao. The SGF has two MLAs, though, both are categorised as Independents since the party is yet to be recognised.

Today the Governor S C Jamir ordered the Speaker to conduct the trust vote in the presence of an observer mandated by him as demanded by the BJP.

Following the resignation of Fernandes, the Goa house has 39 MLAs. The BJP-led coalition, which includes two MLAs each from the MGP and SGF, one from the United Goans Democratic Party and an Independent legislator has a strength of 20 in the house. The Congress and the NCP has 19 MLAs.

Meanwhile, the Governor in his report to the Centre has said that no party in Goa would be able to give a stable government because of the presence of several groups in the legislative assembly.