Panaji, June 10: The three-day-old Congress government in Goa survived a major fright today after Nationalist Congress Party leader Wilfred de Souza threatened to pull out of the coalition, reports our correspondent.

The septuagenarian leader was miffed because the only other NCP member in the Assembly, Francis Xavier “Mickky” Pacheco, had not been made minister.

To make matters worse, seven more Congressmen were sworn in as ministers, including Joaquim Alemao, a key rival of Pacheco. The two run their own football teams ? Churchill Brothers and Fransa Pax ? but their rivalry extends beyond the playing field.

However, things settled down after the party high command stepped in. It is apparently not keen to ruffle Congress feathers in Goa as it might have a repercussion on ties at a wider level.

In the 40-seat Assembly that has long been ridden by factionalism and is dominated by small parties, the Congress has 18 seats and the NCP a crucial couple.

Another MLA supporting the ruling coalition is from the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, making its majority a very slender one.

Signs of unease in the ruling coalition have been visible since the beginning and the embers of dissent have been fanned by a bitter BJP, which was ousted from power.

Besides, ego clashes between leaders who fought each other for much of the past two decades ? either as rivals in different parties or as dissidents in the same party ? was imminent.

Among the leaders rewarded with ministership today were Digambar Kamat, Pandurang Madkaikar and Babush Monserrate, who had ditched the BJP to help resurrect the Congress.