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Three BJP MLAs quit, Congress stakes claim in Goa

     Panaji: The Congress has staked claim to form government in Goa after three legislators of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party quit and allies withdrew support on Saturday. The political crisis had been brewing in the tiny tourist hub since earlier his week after Atanasio Monserette, the town- planning minister, angered at being stripped off his portfolio by state chief Manohar Parikar, resigned. His supporters have quit the alliance since late last night. The BJP now has only 18 seats left in the 40-member house. Leaders of the Congress, which has 15 of its own legislators and claims support of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), met Governor SC Jamir in capital Panaji and handed him a list of legislators willing to support a Congress-led coalition. "The chief minister will be from the Congress. The support break up, three of us have resigned, three are in the air, meaning that they are flying from Mumbai. The majority is coming down," Monserette said. Chief Minister Manohar Parikar however, said that the government would prove majority. "All this drama is because of the portfolio reshuffling. Two- three people will come here and there but the government is stable. The government does not become minority, remains majority," he said.

Maharashtra to cancel licences of Gutka manufacturers (Go To Top)

     Mumbai: Acting on a report about the presence of magnesium carbonate in Gutka, Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Saturday issued directives to various departments to cancel the licences of Gutka manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers in the entire state. "We have issued directives to various departments to cancel the licences of Gutka manufactures, wholesale dealers and retailers in the state following a major finding of Gutka and Paan Masala containing carcinogenic material", FDA Commissioner A Ramakrishnan told reporters here. The FDA raided about 20 premises in Mumbai and neighbouring Thane district during the week and found Gutka pouches containing magnesium carbonate. "This is the objection we are raising", he said.

Nicobar rocked again by earthquakes (Go To Top)

      New Delhi: Andaman and Nicobar Islands were again jolted by series of moderate intensity quakes on Friday and Saturday also. Two light tremors measuring 5.4 and 5.2 on the Richter scale hit the north coast of Camorta in the Nicobar islands early Saturday, informed the India Meterological Department (IMD). The islands experienced nearly ten more earthquakes of moderate intensity, the strongest one measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale, on Friday. These tremors were epicentred around the Camorta region and the east coast of Car Nicobar islands. After the December 26 tragedy, the area has been witnessing a large number of aftershocks.