We have numbers to form Goa govt: Cong

Claims support of over 21 MLAS

PANAJI: The opposition Congress in Goa on Wednesday claimed that it had the support of over 21 legislators in the 40-member Assembly, giving it enough strength to form the government in the state.

The Congress, which is the singlelargest party with 16 MLAS, has already staked claim to form the government in the coastal state.

The opposition party’s claim comes at a time when Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar (62) is admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi for a pancreatic ailment.

The leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, Chandrakant Kavlekar, said that the Congress had enough support to form the government in Goa.

“We have the required numbers. I am not going to tell you whom we are in discussions with, but we need the support of 21 MLAS, and we have more than that,” he said.

The Congress legislators, led by Kavlekar, had met Governor Mridula Sinha on Tuesday and demanded a floor test by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government to prove its majority in the Assembly.

Kavlekar said his party was waiting for a response from the governor, who had assured them that she would get back on the issue in three-four days.

The BJP is ruling the state with the support of the Goa Forward Party (GFP), the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Independent MLAS.

The BJP has 14 seats in the Assembly, the GFP and the MGP have three each, and the NCP has one. There are also three Independent legislators.

Kavlekar claimed the political situation in the state was in favour of the Congress as there was a lot of “discontent” among the ruling coalition partners.

“You have seen how the BJP observers came to Goa and met their legislators, former MLAS and alliance partners. They are also talking about inviting a leader from one of the allies to head the government.

“This has created a bitter situation as allowing one alliance partner to head the coalition will upset another,” he said.

Kavlekar also claimed that a section within the BJP was upset over the possibility of a leader being “imported” from outside and was in touch with the Congress for joining the opposition party.

NEW DELHI: With two more senior ministers lying on the hospital beds, other than the chief minister, Manohar Parrikar himself, the ruling BJP is finding it difficult to hold back its government in Goa. Reportedly, Power Minister Pandurang Madkaikar and Urban Development Minister Francis D'souza are also being treated of serious ailment since past months.

Therefore, out of 14 MLAS, BJP only can get the support of 11 MLAS during the floor test, other than Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party's 3 MLAS, Goa Forward Party's 3 and 2 Independent MLAS, who supported Parrikar as CM 'unconditionally' in 2017, the BJP Goa unit claimed. So, now allies are the only hope for the saffron party.

To find a solution to fill the power vacuum the top leadership is holding a string of meetings since Sunday to strengthen the state-central co-ordination. A team was also sent to Goa, consisting of Ram Lal, national general secretary (organisation), BL San- tosh, and Vijay Puranik. On Wednesday afternoon party national president Amit Shah held a meeting with the threemember observer team - party state president Vinay Tendulkar, central minister Shripad Naik, and South Goa MP Narendra Keshav Sawaikar at the party headquarters here. It is learnt that three names have been submitted to Shah—the speaker of Goa Assembly, Pramod Kamat, central minister Shripad Naik, and senior GFP leader and Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai.

However, during the twohour long meeting, the party chief suggested to communicate with alliance parties and categorically mentioned that the Chief Minister has to be of BJP, a party source mentioned. "If any allies aspire to project their candidate as the chief ministerial face, then the party has to merge with BJP," a senior BJP leader told the Millennium Post.

On the other hand, Shripad Naik is considered as the frontrunner, but the challenge that he might face is that he has to win an Assembly seat as an MLA first, however, the state unit does not see the option expedient ahead of the general election. “We are in talks with allies and expected to come to a solution by end of this week," the state BJP leader informed.

Sources further said six

legislators are Viaji Sardesai, Fisheries Minister Vinod Palyekar, and Housing Minister Jayesh Salgaokar of the GFP, and Independents comprising two ministers Rohan Khaunte and Govind Gaude are claimed to be in support of BJP. Whereas, a proposal making senior MGP leader and Public Works Department Minister Sudin Dhavalikar as CM has been opposed by GFP and an Independent MLA, Govind Gawde.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena continuing its allegation, said MGP and GFP - were trying to destabilise the government, as leaders of these parties were vying for the top post in the state. It said the entire Goa cabinet is in the ICU. Goa has become a

leaderless state and the administration is not able to function.