Goa: Amidst Rahul Gandhi’s “ Bharat Jodo Yatra” headlines, a new headache has rattled the Congress in Goa. Eight of its 11 MLAs i.e. more than two-thirds of the contingent have now moved towards the ruling party BJP, leaving the Congress with just three MLAs in the house. The defection is led by top leaders Digambar Kamat and Michael Lobo. The announcement was made by state BJP chief Sadanand Shet Tanavade today after the assembly session didn’t begin in the morning.
As per the rules, the defection laws don’t apply as the strength is in majority. The eight MLAs include
Michael Lobo’s wife Delilah Lobo, Rajesh Phaldesai, Kedar Naik, Sankalp Amonkar, Alexio Sequeira, and Rudolf Fernandes.
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With this movement, BJP has come forward with the jibe of “Party Jodo” (Unite your party first). This is in context with the “Bharat Jodo Yatra” led by Rahul Gandhi and several veterans of the Congress Party.
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera reacts :
Speaking of the defection, Michael Lobo said it is more of “Congress Chhodo, BJP ko Jodo”. Named as yet another accomplishment of the BJP with the famed name of “operation lotus”, this announcement has truly shaken the party, which was looking to strengthen its position in the state. However, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera has said that it is more of “Operation Kichad (Mud)”. He also alleged that BJP is using several unethical tactics such as using central probe agencies, muscle power, and the lure of money as the BJP is uncomfortable with the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
Goa Forward Party, an ally of Congress has said that the MLAs are a “symbol of pure evil”. The rebelling MLAs had tried to do the same in July this year as well but the speaker had disqualified them under the anti-defection law, resultantly, Michael Lobo was removed from the position of opposition leader, but no replacement was named.
Tides turn against the Congress within months:
Kamat, former chief minister, in July, said that he was “shocked and stunned” by the allegation of division. Even Michael Lobo, who was once in BJP, claimed that there are “no talks of any division”. However, today, the equation had completely changed, Mr. Kamat said that they were unhappy with the party and saw how the party dealt with Ghulam Nabi Azad when he questioned Rahul Gandhi’s potential.
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In 2019 as well, two third of Congress MLAs i.e. 10 out of 15 had joined the BJP, which is why the party also made its candidates take up a vow of loyalty in front of Rahul Gandhi this year, however, this did not stop them from defecting. Earlier, Sonia Gandhi had deployed senior leader Mukul Wasnik to handle this crisis but that too didn’t change the situation.
Which party has how many MLAs in Goa?
Currently, BJP leads in the Goa assembly with 25 MLAs out of 40. Twenty are of their own while two are from Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and three are independent MLAs. With eight new additions today, the count will go to 33/40. Now, the Congress has three, Goa Forward Party has one, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has two and the Revolutionary Goans Party has one.
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