In a sensational revelation, Goa Governor, Mridula Sinha, has confessed to having called Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley before inviting the BJP to form the government in the coastal Indian state.
Speaking to Mumbai Mirror, Sinha said, “..I felt I should speak with Arun Jaitley, and I called him around 9.30 in the evening, discussing the situation. I informed him I had verified the numbers and was satisfied and that Congress leaders hadn’t arrived yet. He said that if any party comes with the numbers, it has to be considered. So that settled it.”
Sinha, a former member of BJP’s national executive, had come under criticism from Congress, which blamed her for not inviting the party that had emerged as the single largest entity post assembly elections.
Her confession comes barely days after Jaitley had taken a dig at Congress for complaining ‘too much.’
In a blog, Jaitley had written, “The Congress Party complains a bit too much. It accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of ‘stealing’ the mandate in Goa. It unsuccessfully petitioned before the Supreme Court. It attempted to raise issues in the Lok Sabha. What are the facts?”
The governor is now facing social media heat with users demanding her sacking. Congress, for its part, has decided to raise her conduct in the ongoing parliamentary sessions in Delhi.
Here are some social media reactions;
Have I read this right? Goa governor says she consulted @arunjaitley before deciding to invite BJP to form govt: https://t.co/euPw9sZrZc
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) March 16, 2017
This is ridiculous…!!! Governor consulting a union minister on who to invite to form govt..!! This governor should be sacked immediately. https://t.co/sNoI5U0Gif
— Manak Gupta (@manakgupta) March 17, 2017
Goa Governor spoke to Jaitley before finally calling BJP to form Govt. This admission by itself raises question about her fairness.
— Majeed Memon MP (@advmajeedmemon) March 16, 2017
https://twitter.com/Shehzad_Ind/status/842603969163681792
God save our Demo CraZZZY Governor of Goa admits to speaking to Jaitley before inviting BJP to form Govt truly democratic @ArvindKejriwal
— Aashish Mehta (@aashishSmehta) March 16, 2017
So Goa Governor spoke to BJP minister Jaitley before formation of Govt.? https://t.co/8Bsxsm03Jh
— Whirling Dervesh (شاہین نقشبندی) (@WhirlingDervesh) March 17, 2017
Biggest joke is goa governor took decision of inviting bjp by talking to jaitley. Next time all support letters should be given to jaitley
— Samir Kelekar (@samirkelekar) March 17, 2017
Shockingly Goa Governor says she consulted Jaitley before taking her decision. Constitutional sin? https://t.co/fLtxBsjFe2
— M K Venu (@mkvenu1) March 16, 2017