Parrikar in hospital, Cong stakes claim to form govt

GOA TUSSLE Party submits memorandum to governor, says will prove majority

chief minister Manohar Parrikar in hospital, Goa’s main opposition, the Congress party, submitted a memorandum to governor Mridula Sinha on Monday, staking claim to form the government.

The move came at a time when the BJP high command has sent three senior leaders — Ram Lal, B L Santhosh and Vinay Puranik — to Panaji to meet the state party leaders and allies to take stock of the political situation.

Parrikar, 62, who is suffering from a pancreatic ailment, is currently admitted in the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi.

The Congress, which has 16 members in the 40-member state assembly, submitted a memorandum to the governor, urging her not to dissolve the assembly and instead invite the party to form the government, leader of opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar said.

He said the BJP has a habit of forcing Governor’s Rule in a state where they fail to rule , and the Congress will not allow to happen it.

Goa is being ruled by the BJPled alliance headed by Parrikar.

The BJP has 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.

All the 16 Congress MLAs, led by Kavlekar, went to the Raj Bhavan but could not meet the governor as she is out of the state.

Kavlekar said the Congress has the support of legislators from other parties and can form the government, if given a chance by governor.

“We will prove our majority on the floor of the House,” he said.

PANAJI:With