The Congress faced a real existential crisis after 10 of its remaining 15 MLAs decided to leave the party and merge with the BJP. This came just days after nearly dozen Congress MLAs in Karnataka resigned from the Assembly, bringing the coalition government in the state to a minority.
Those having decided to join the BJP are Atanasio Monserratte, Jeniffer Monserratte, Francis Silveira, Philip Nery Rodrigues, Cleaofacio Dias, Wilfred DSa, Nilkant Halarnkar and Isidor Fernandes.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, according to news agency PTI, was present when the group arrived at the Assembly complex. Sawant confirmed that the 10 MLAs have merged with the BJP. Sawant later said that he had not yet decided on whether he will drop few ministers to accommodate those defecting from the Congress. Sawant had become the coastal state’s chief minister in March this year after the death of Manohar Parrikar.
Goa Congress chief Girish Chodankar said that ‘instead of one nation one election (which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is advocating), what the BJP really wanted was one nation one party.’
BJP is the single largest party with 17,Goa Forward Parrty and Independents have three each, while one MLA each is from NCP and MGP.
The development in Goa is a huge blow to the Congress party. Many experts have predicted more bad news for the party from Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, where it’s running minority governments.
Currently, the party also doesn’t have a national president since Rahul Gandhi has relinquished his post and has refused to interfere in the ongoing crisis faced by his party in two key states.