Days after two of its MLAs quit the party and joined the ruling BJP, the Goa Congress on Saturday claimed that its remaining legislators were “united”.
Subhash Shirodkar and Dayanad Sopte had resigned as Congress MLAs and joined the BJP, bringing down the strength of the opposition party to 14 in the 40-member Goa Assembly. “There is no question of any other MLA leaving the Congress party. All the remaining MLAs are united and are working to tackle the BJP-led government,” Goa Congress spokesperson Amarnath Panjikar said.
He added that the Congress would contest bypolls in both Assembly seats that were vacated by Mr. Shirodkar and Mr. Sopte.
Mr. Panjikar alleged that proposals were being cleared by the Investment Promotion Board (IPB) by claiming they were approved by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar through video-conferencing.
“Can a person who was airlifted and brought on a stretcher from AIIMS to his residence hold a meeting through video conferencing from 3:30pm to 8:30pm?” he questioned.
Parrikar, who is suffering from a pancreatic ailment, arrived in Goa on October 14 after being hospitalised in New Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences.