Congress harps on defection in Goa

Terming defection as a ‘‘serious danger’’ to the democratic structure of Goa, the Congress has promised to pursue with t...

Terming defection as a ‘‘serious danger’’ to the democratic structure of Goa, the Congress has promised to pursue with the Centre an amendment to the anti-defection law to automatically disqualify the defector.

In its election manifesto for the May 30 Assembly polls in the state, released here today, the party said defections had become a bane of our polity and posed danger to the democratic structure of the state.

Interestingly, while admitting his party’s failure to check defection in past, the AICC secretary with independent charge of Goa, Ramesh Chennithala, had justified the party’s decision to renominate defectors. He said it was based on the assumption that denial of tickets to defectors would lead to multi-cornered contests, dividing the party vote bank. This would only enable the BJP to declare that there’s no public anger over Modi’s politics in Gujarat, he said.

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Expressing surprise at Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s ‘‘shock’’ at the Congress’ decision to renominate defectors, he said BJP’s Mapuca candidate Francis D’Souza had defected a record nine times in the past two and a half years.

Pooh-poohing the criticism by other parties, he said the BJP had renominated five defectors, the NCP, seven and UGDP list of 20 predominantly comprised of Congress rejects.

Nepal’s Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak resigns after 19 killed in ‘Gen Z’ protests

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Nepal's Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has resigned after 19 people died during youth-led protests demanding reforms and accountability. The protests spread across major cities and police opened fire on demonstrators. Lekhak tendered his resignation to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli during a Cabinet meeting, following calls from Nepali Congress leaders earlier in the day.

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