Congress MLAs in Goa will meet Governor Mridula Sinha shortly with a demand for dismissal of the Manohar Parrikar-led government and allowing the opposition party to stake claim for forming an alternate government. The governor office has given the MLAs appointment.
Read More
The Congress move comes at a time when 62-year-old Parrikar is undergoing treatment at the AIIMS in Delhi for a pancreatic ailment. Goa is being ruled by the BJP-led Alliance headed by Parrikar.
The Congress, which has 16 members in the 40-member state Assembly, had on Monday submitted a memorandum to the Governor in her absence, urging her not to dissolve the Assembly and instead invite the party to form the alternate government.
All the 16 Congress MLAs, led by their leader Chandrakant Kavlekar, had submitted the memorandum to Governor office. Read less
Congress Monday urged the Governor not to dissolve the House and give it a chance to form the government. Congress leaders claimed that some of the parties supporting the BJP have been in touch with them.
“Whoever is the alliance partner of the BJP… they had given support only to Manohar Parrikar. When he is not in a position to discharge his duties, our demand is: send out this government and call us. We are the single largest party,” Chella Kumar told The Indian Express.
Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram
Goa Forward Party (GFP) chief Vijai Sardesai, an ally of the BJP, today said BJP President had called him to discuss the political situation in Goa and to ensure stability. "Shah informed me about (scheduled) visit of BJP observers. He spoke about how important allies are in the government and their role in ensuring stability," the GFP chief said, PTI reported.
The GFP chief said he had publicly expressed opposition to ad hoc arrangements and claimed that Shah's call came after Sardesai demanded a permanent solution if BJP was thinking about a leadership change. GFP is now waiting for BJP's decision on the present political situation.
monthly limit of free stories.
with an Express account.
Yesterday Prime Minister Narendra Modi was thankful as many state representatives wished him on his birthday. Replying to Parrikar's wish, Modi thanked Parrikar on Twitter and said the nation is praying for his health.
BJP has a total of 14 seats in the Assembly, its allies Goa Forward Party and MGP have three each. Three Independents and an MLA from Nationalist Congress Party also support the BJP.
On Monday, BJP leader Ram Lal had said no demand in the change of leadership has been made and claimed that government is stable.
Earlier this year, Congress had staked claimed to form the government in Goa. The party claimed that it had not been invited to form the government in Goa after the Assembly elections in March 2017, despite it emerged as the largest single party.
The party had met the Governor a week back urging her to intervene as State Administration.
Read| CM Parrikar ill, Congress seeks chance to form govt in Goa
Leading the 16 MLAs Chandrakant Kavlekar called the Governor's office today to schedule a meeting at 6.30 pm, PTI reported. "We all 16 MLAs will be meeting the Governor and will request her to dismiss the present government. We will also ask her to invite us to form the new government," he said.
Refusing to reveal names of Congress supporters, Kavelkar said Congress has the support of legislators from other parties and they will prove their majority on the floor of the House.
The Leader of Opposition said BJP has a habit of forcing Governors Rule in a state where they fail to rule and the Congress will not allow to happen it, PTI reported.