Goa political developments explained: How many MLAs Congress has? How many MLAs BJP needs to evade law?

The Goa Congress on Sunday said the BJP has been trying to make two-third of the party's 11 MLAs to defect. Dinesh Gundu Rao, the Congress's Goa incharge, said two Congress leaders -- Michael Lobo and Digambar Kamat -- were helping the BJP to engineer defections. The party has sacked Lobo from the post of the Leader of Opposition.

"BJP was trying for a 2/3rd split, to see that a minimum of 8 of our MLAs leave. Many of our people have been offered huge amounts of money. I'm shocked at the amount offered. But our 6 MLAs stood firm, I am proud of them," said Dinesh Gundu Rao.

Girish Chodankar, a senior Congress leader, alleged that around Rs 40 crore had been offered to the MLAs to defect to BJP. The BJP has dismissed the allegations.

Dinesh Gundu Rao said the conspiracy was hatched by the Congress' own leaders who were in cahoots with the BJP. 

"This conspiracy was led by two of our own leaders, Leaders of Opposition Michael Lobo and Digambar Kamat. Both these people had been working in total coordination with BJP. One person- Digambar Kamat- did it to safeguard his own skin because so many cases are against him and the other person- Michael Lobo- for the sake of power and position. BJP wants to finish the Opposition," he added. 

How many MLAs Congress has?

The Congress has 11 MLAs in the Assembly. Rao said the party had lost contact with 5 MLAs. 5 MLAs were with the Congress at the time of the press conference and one was in touch with them. This means 5 are incommunicado. 

"A new leader will be elected. Whatever action has to be taken by law against this kind of defection, anti-party work will follow. Let's see how many people will stay/move. Five of our MLAs are here, we are in touch with some more MLAs and they'll come along with us," he said. 

Dinesh Gundu Rao said that out of the 11 MLAs, the party has lost touch with five. These are: Lobo, Kamat, Kedar Naik, Rajesh Faldesai and Delialah Lobo - have gone incommunicado. Five others were with the Congress, including Altone D'Costa, Sankalp Amonkar, Yuri Alemao, Carlose Alvares Ferreira and Rudolf Fernandes. The sixth MLA, Aleixo Sequeira is in touch with the Congress.

The BJP has a comfortable majority in the house. The fate of the Congress will not have any impact on its fortunes. However, if it can successfully engineer an exodus, it will further weaken the Congress in the state. The BJP needs two-third of 11 MLAs to evade the anti-defection law. The party needs the backing of eight MLAs. Otherwise the 5 rebels will be sacked as the Members of Legislative Assembly. 

The Congress leadership had denied reports of any defection plan. However, Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly, Ramesh Tawadkar cancelled the notification announcing elections for the post of Deputy Speaker.

With inputs from ANI