Goa Congress MLAs Subhash Shirodkar and Dayanand Sopte representing Shiroda and Mandrem assembly constituencies, respectively, resigned as members of the Legislative Assembly and also as primary members of the Congress party and joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the presence of Union Minister Piyush Goyal in the national capital on October 16.
Amidst this latest development, BJP Goa unit president Vinay Tendulkar claimed that more MLAs’ from the opposition party are waiting for crossover.
Vinay Tendulkar in his statement asserted, ‘more legislators from Congress may join either the saffron party or the regional parties that are part of the Manohar Parrikar-led coalition government’.
The resignation might come as a big blow to the Congress party as it would mean that the Congress’ status as the single largest party in Goa would dwindle, as the count of its MLAs would come down to 14 from previous 16.
Tendulkar, unwilling to disclose the names of the MLAs who he has claimed are willing to cross over or change loyalties, furthered, “The induction of Sopte and Shirodkar in the BJP is a part of the ‘Congress-mukt Bharat’.”
A senior leader from the Congress party reviewing the disassembling and contradicting BJPs’ claim said that their remaining 14 MLAs’ would remain intact.
Goa assembly is a 40 member assembly, out of which the BJP coalition government occupy 23 seats. These amount to 14 BJP MLAs, three from the Goa Forward Party and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party respectively, as well as three independents.
As all the parties gear up for the 2018 assembly elections news emerge where several Congress members have quit, joining the BJP. Such defections have considerably helped the BJP to grow and yank dominance in several states.
A day back Former Mizoram Minister Buddha Dhan Chakma had quit the Congress party and is all set to join the BJP ahead of the polls, which is scheduled on November 28.
Just a few days after the declaration of elections dates in Chhattisgarh, there were reports of Chhattisgarh Congress’ working president and Pali-Tanakhar MLA, Ramdayal Uike to have joined BJP.
Similarly, in the last few months, trouble seems to be intensifying for the Congress as several members have been reported to quit the party stating problems with the party’s current policies. Given the current scenario, it will only be interesting to see what stance the Congress adapts ahead of the upcoming 2019 Lok Sabha elections.