NEW DELHI: Former Union Law Minister Ramakant Khalap, alongwith three other Maharashtravadi Gomantak Party (MGP) MLAs, bargained with Congress President Sonia Gandhi Monday night for joining the Congress Government in Goa as a coalition partner.

They were, however, quite secretive and remained most of the time away from the Goa Sadan, where they are staying, to avoid giving any indication about their moves.

Khalap declined to disclose anything about the discussions saying he would like the Congress to make the "announcement." He, however, indicated that the deal is "more or less through" as he described the trip to 10 Janpath only to seek blessings of Sonia Gandhi.

He said all four were staying back in Delhi on Tuesday for the follow-up action after meeting Sonia Gandhi and would be flying back to Goa Wednesday morning.

CONSULTING FALEIRO: The AICC sources said final decision is yet to be taken which will be only after consulting Chief Minister Luizinho Faleiro. The Congress President, however, promised the MGP delegation to decide "in a day or two," the sources said.

The Congress wanted all four MGP MLAs to join the Congress, but Khalap pointed out difficulties, the sources said, adding that the Chief Minister had also discussed the matter with the High Command during his last trip to Delhi. "Madam wants certain clarificaions from the CM before deciding," sources added.

Khalap is believed to have stressed to Sonia Gandhi that he would prefer one of them inducted in the ministry and that it should be before the Lok Sabha elections.

MERGER UNACCEPTABLE: He is also believed to have told her that he has failed to influence others in the MGP to merge the party into the Congress but he succeeded in persuading his party leaders to support the Faleiro Government to give it complete stability, necessary for the progress of Goa.

Faleiro would have support of three-fourth of the members of the Assembly once the MGP goes over to his side and that would end the constant fears of instability which have not vanished so far, Khalap was quoted stating.

Since the MGP’s merger is difficult, the MLAs reportedly pleaded that a wrong message would go on the eve of the Lok Sabha elections if all those elected on the MGP ticket defect to the Congress.

POLL PANEL: They also discussed the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and Khalap is believed to have indicated that he would like to contest for the Lok Sabha from the North Goa seat which was represented in the dissolved House by former Chief Minister and his erstwhile MGP colleague Ravi Naik who is now a minister in Goa.

Meanwhile, the Congress President on Monday appointed screening committees for selection of the Lok Sabha candidates. Dr Manmohan Singh, former Union Minister Mohsina Kidwai and AICC General Secretary Madhavrao Scindia are common members in all four committees appointed for Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajasthan. Scindia happens to be the General Secretary incharge of all four states.

Other members of the committee will be the incharge AICC Secretary, the PCC President and the CLP leader. AICC Secretary Ramesh Chennitala, who was in Goa on Monday for the Rajya Sabha polls, is common in the committees for Goa and Rajasthan since he is the incharge secretary for both the states. END.