BJP Replaces Congress As The Largest Party In Goa Assembly
WITH two Congress MLAs joining BJP, the BJP headed Government in Goa is no longer in minority in the coastal state’s legislative assembly. Surprising the Congress, which claimed before the governor to form government being the single largest party in the assembly, Congress two legislators — Subhash Shirodkar, a former minister and Dayanand Sopte – met Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah in the national capital on Tuesday and were formally enrolled as the Members of BJP.Congress Committee Secretary in-charge for Goa Chellakumar also said the two were intimidated by Shah and poached by Health Minister in the BJP-led coalition government Vishwajit Rane, who is angling for the Chief Minister’s post, in case sitting Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar steps down owing to his health condition.”I got a message that Vishwajit Rane , the senior most lawmaker in the state and a former CM . was the man who had convinced and taken them to Delhi and he bargained with the BJP high command, that if he got the two Congress MLAs he should be made the Chief Minister. “On that note, money power and official machinery, they have taken these two MLAs,” Chellakumar told reporters.The Congress official also alleged that the Congress MLAs were a victim of “fear psychosis” due to constant threats from the BJP. Rane said that Chellakumar made the unfounded allegation due to “frustration” as the Congress was bleeding MLAs. Rane, himself a former Congressman , joined the BJP in 2017. Resignations of Congress’s Sopte and Shirodkar from MLA-posts, was expected to blunt Congress’ efforts to cobble together numbers for the formation of a coalition government. The resignations were also expected to do away with the Congress’ strategic advantage as the single largest party in the 40-member Goa Legislative Assembly, bringing its legislative strength on par with the BJP at 14 MLAs.The incumbent BJP-led coalition government has 14 BJP MLAs, supported by three MLAs each from the Goa Forward, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, three Independent MLAs and Nationalist Congress Party MLA Churchill Alemao.(with inputs from The Pioneer and image- NDTv)