Dismissing speculations that several Congress MLAs in Goa are ready to jump ship and join the ruling BJPLeaders of the grand old party, including Goa desk in-charge Dinesh Gundu Rao, on Saturday called it “totally a rumour”.
Congress leaders also said that Saturday’s meeting with 11 party MLAs at a hotel in Panaji had nothing to do with the estimation but took place ahead of the monsoon session of the assembly beginning Monday.
There is speculation that some Congress MLAs are ready to join the BJP, as BJP’s national general secretary and the party’s state in-charge CT Ravi said in May that the BJP, which has 20 MLAs, formed the government with support. In five others, there will be 30 MLAs by the end of the year.
In 2019, 10 out of 15 Congress MLAs merged the legislature party with the BJP and became BJP MLAs.
On Saturday, State Congress President Amit Patkar said, ‘Eight out of our 11 MLAs are new. A meeting was held today (in the House) on floor management. Our senior MLAs had discussions with the new MLAs, and I hope from Monday you will see that the Congress is raising public issues (in the House) against this government, which has failed.
He said that the BJP-led government only creates rumors and confusion among the people.
Leader of the Opposition in the 40-member Goa House Michael Lobo said Gundu Rao was expected to come last week but could not come then, and thus addressed the legislators on Saturday. “All MLAs are ready to raise questions – not only about their constituencies but relevant questions for Goa, like three linear projects, impact of handling of coal at MPT (Mormugao Port Trust)…” he said.
On the absence from the meeting of senior MLA and former CM Digambar Kamat, Patkar said that Kamat had guided the party’s first time MLAs in the last legislature party meeting and could not attend Saturday’s meeting as they had to be held in Canacona in South Goa. had to happen.
In the backdrop of notices issued by the Town and Country Planning Department under Minister Vishwajit Rane to the co-owned properties of Lobo and his MLA-wife over alleged illegal constructions, Rao said: “The BJP is trying to silence the Leader of the Opposition. has been troubling her unnecessarily. Democracy should not work like this. Mrs Delilah Lobo (Congress MLA and wife of Michael Lobo) moved the court and got an order (in her favour). The Leader of the Opposition will not be silenced; Congress will not sit silent.”
Fueling speculation that Congress MLAs might jump ship – a la 2019 – BJP leader Ravi had said in May that the BJP had won 20 of the 40 assembly seats, and although with the support of independents and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, its The pass had a majority of 25 MLAs, a number that could increase to 30 MLAs if the party’s leadership “allows”.
Addressing Goa BJP leaders and workers at the party’s state executive meeting on May 28, Ravi had said, “Your (election) slogan was ‘Bavisant Bavis (22 seats in 2022)’. With the support of (other MLAs)). We are 25 in 2022. But don’t worry; a lot of people are in touch (with us). (20) Within 22 we will cross 30. The party has not allowed. That’s why we are 25 years old. If the party allows, we will be 30 in ’22’.
Congress had rejected these claims.
Speculations about possible entry of Congress MLAs into the BJP have once again gained momentum ahead of the Gram Panchayat elections to be held in Goa on August 10. Panchayat elections are not fought on the symbol of the party.