Goa Forward Party withdraws support to BJP-led Goa government

"The political affairs committee and the legislature party wing of Goa Forward Party met today and decided unanimously to withdraw support to the Bharatiya Janata Party government led by Dr Pramod Sawant," the party's letter to the governor read.

Pramod Sawant at Goa State Assembly. (Photo: PTI)

The Goa Forward Party withdrew support to the BJP government in Goa a day after three of its MLAs were dropped as ministers and replaced by three Congress legislators who switched over to BJP. The Goa Forward Party sent a communication to Governor Mridula Sinha communicating their decision.

“The political affairs committee and the legislature party wing of Goa Forward Party met today and decided unanimously to withdraw support to the Bharatiya Janata Party government led by Dr Pramod Sawant,” the party’s letter to the governor read.

Of the 10 Congress MLAs in Goa who jumped ship, three were sworn-in as ministers in Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s cabinet on Saturday. A lone BJP legislator and former Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo was also sworn-in, bringing the Cabinet’s strength to 12 ministers again.

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The ceremony followed an order passed by Governor Mridula Sinha, which revoked powers of Independent MLA Rohan Khaunte, and Goa Forward MLAs Vijai Sardesai, Vinod Paliencar and Jayesh Salgaonkar, as they had ceased to be members of the Council of Ministers.

The two Deputy CMs are Manohar Azgaonkar, who had split from the Maharashtra Gomantak Party to join the BJP, and Chandrakant Kavalekar, former Leader of Opposition from the Congress who defected along with nine others to join BJP on Wednesday.

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