Cong stakes claim to form govt in Goa, submits letter to Guv

Press Trust of India  |  Panaji 

The today sought adoption of the example in and staked claim to form government in the state, being the single largest party in the

The party said it can prove its majority within seven days of swearing-in of its minister.

Thirteen of the 16 legislators were present during the meeting with the as two of them are currently out of Goa, while another one is hospitalised.

AICC A Chellakumar and Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) were also present during the meeting.

"We undertake to prove the majority on the floor of the House within seven days of swearing in. Kindly initiate the process of inviting us to form the government at the earliest," Kavlekar said in the letter submitted to Sinha.

The Congress attached a copy of the letter it had written to the on March 12, 2017, in which they had staked claim to form the government after the results of Assembly polls.

In the Assembly elections held in February last year, the Congress had bagged 17 seats in the 40-member House, falling short of the majority figure by four seats.

The BJP, which had bagged 13 seats, firmed up an alliance with and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, both of which had secured three seats each, and also took support of three Independents.

Subsequently, the Governor invited the BJP-led coalition to form the government. The present dispensation is headed by Manohar Parrikar, who is currently undergoing treatment in the US for a pancreatic ailment.

"Despite the Congress being the single largest party, was invited to be the minister. He was administered the oath of office and secrecy and the government headed by him was constituted," Kavlekar added in the letter.

"Your Excellency is aware that Indian National Congress, even as on date, is the single largest party in the state having 16 elected representatives," it added.

The Congress also referred to the developments in Karnataka, where Governor invited the BJP to form the government after the Assembly election results declared on Wednesday.

The BJP, which emerged as the single largest party with 104 seats in the 224-member Assembly, was invited by the governor despite the JD(S)-Congress combine staking claim by citing the support of 117 MLAs. The majority mark is 112 seats as polls in two constituencies were deferred by the

"In Karnataka, in the recently-concluded elections, the Congress and the (Secular), which has more than the required numbers, staked claim to form the government.

"However, the Governor of has invited B S Yeddyurappa of the BJP to form the government apparently on the precedent that the single largest party is required to be invited to form the government. This shows that the decision taken in 2017 in Goa was patently wrong," the letter said.

"Your Excellency is, therefore, urged to dismiss the present illegitimate government in the state and invite the of Legislature Party to form the government," the letter said.

Speaking to reporters after meeting, Chellakumar said the party has requested the governor to revert to the letter in seven days. "If she does not get back, then we will decide our future course of action. We have the numbers with us," he said.

Although the Congress had won 17 seats in Goa last year, it currently has 16 members in the Assembly as one of its legislators, Vishwajeet Rane, had joined the BJP last year. Rane later won bypoll on a BJP ticket.

"We have all the required numbers with us to form the government in the state. We can prove our numbers on the floor of the House. The magic figure of 21 is there with Congress... even without poaching into the BJP camp," Chodankar said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Fri, May 18 2018. 18:10 IST