BJP parades 20 Goa MLAs

In its first encounter with Pratibha Patil after she was elected President, the BJP paraded 20 members of the Goa Legislative Assembly on Saturday and staked claim to form a Government in the state.

In its first encounter with Pratibha Patil after she was elected President, the BJP paraded 20 members of the Goa Legislative Assembly on Saturday and staked claim to form a Government in the state.

Party sources who were part of the delegation said the meeting was cordial and courteous, and there was no discomfort owing to the bitter campaign that the party ran while Patil was contesting election for President. The meeting went on for 40 minutes and the BJP’s position was presented by party President Rajnath Singh and Sushma Swaraj.

“We respected her as a President should be and she treated us with courtesy,” a BJP leader said. With one Congress MLA resigning from the 40-member Assembly and 20 forming a new group called Goa Democratic Alliance, the Congress Government has clearly lost out in the number game.

Besides 14 BJP MLAs, two each of MGP and Save Goa Front and one of UGDP, one Independent MLA were part of the delegation. Victoria Fernandes, a Congress MLA who has withdrawn support to the Government, was also present. The party complained to the President that the Congress was not taking a test of strength on the floor of the House and sought her intervention.

In a petition submitted to the President, the BJP said that Chief Minister Digambar Kamat was trying to avoid the Assembly. “Every attempt is being made to put pressure on the MLAs and ensure that the House does not sit in view of the fact that they do not have the majority,” it said. Urging the President “to carry forward the legacy of the high office”, the BJP sought a “direction that the first agenda on Monday should be a trial of strength, which must be done in the presence of the observer and proceedings be videographed”. The petition said, “In view of their certain defeat, the Governor must invite Manohar Parrikar to form the next Government immediately.”

Meanwhile, Goa Governor S C Jamir has directed CM Digambar Kamat to take the confidence vote on the floor of the House on Monday. According to sources, Jamir issued instructions to Speaker Pratapsingh Rane on Saturday to take the confidence vote before the House deliberates on vote on demands.

‘Advani remark on Prime Minister still valid’

NEW DELHI: BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad on Saturday said L K Advani’s criticism of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s statement that he lost sleep over the plight of Dr Mohammad Haneef’s parents was still valid. The Congress has demanded an apology from the saffron party following the release of Dr Haneef who was detained on suspected terror charges in Australia. ENS