The Congress last night made a representation to the Governor asking her to invite the party to form the government in the coastal state.
The Goa Governor has already invited the BJP-led alliance to form the government and the swearing-in is scheduled this evening
Goa government formation LIVE updates: Manohar Parrikar sworn-in as chief minister of Goa. Supreme Court gives him 48 hours to prove majorityu on floor of the House. Follow for the latest updates.
Plea says Congress single largest party after polls, should have been called first to stake claim for government.
On Monday, Parrikar set the stage for his return as Chief Minister by resigning as Union Defence Minister — Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will take additional charge of the portfolio.
Moily, however, made it clear that this “of course does not apply to our leadership.Rahul Gandhi or Sonia Gandhi”.
Sources said that Shah was “quite confident” that it would not be a tough job for former Goa Chief Minister Parrikar, who has strong ties with most politicians in the state, to help the party form the government.
Parrikar — a reluctant defence minister and called the “weekend Chief Minister”, whose famous remark of preferring fish curry to butter chicken was seen as indication of him wanting to return to Panaji — desperately needed those coconuts to return to power.
Goa Forward had secured three seats in the recently held assembly elections in the coastal state.
Parrikar resigned from his position as MoD ahead of the swearing-in ceremony.
Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and cabinet colleague Nitin Gadkari would be present in the swearing-in ceremony at Raj Bhavan on Tuesday evening.
GSM, which fought the recently held Goa Assembly polls in alliance with MGP and Shiv Sena, drew a blank.
Sunday saw the BJP outmaneuver the Congress despite winning just 13 seats in the sate.
Goa Governor Mridula Sinha had invited the BJP on Sunday night to form the next government in the state.
The party, which won 13 seats in the Goa Assembly, pipped the Congress to the post by submitting a list of 21 MLAs and staking claim to form the government.
Amid the confusion, the Congress held a meeting of its newly elected 17 MLAs on Sunday afternoon.
Singh said being the single largest party, the Congress had the "first right as well as the popular mandate" to form government, which has been "hijacked by Parrikar."
The BJP stole the march on the Congress which failed to muster the numbers despite emerging as the single-largest party with the maximum 17 seats in the 40-member assembly.
Both MGP and GFP won three seats a piece.
The Governor asked Parrikar to prove majority on the floor of the Assembly within 15 days of taking oath.
The BJP is all set to form the government in the coastal state after the Goa Forward Party, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and independents reportedly offered to lend their support to the saffron party.
The Goa Forward Party (GFP), however, has said it is yet to hand over any letter of support to the BJP or the Congress.
Singh said the Congress party is in touch with "the non-BJP MLAs to form the government."
Goa Forward Party, which won three seats in the 40-member Assembly, has become a crucial player in the state politics.
The Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) too said it will support a government led by Manohar Parrikar.