As a big blow to the Congress party, 8 congress ka party MLA from Goa joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today. Interesting is that this 8 number includes former Goa chief minister Digambar Kamat, who led the party campaign in the state elections earlier this year, and also the current LoP Michael Lobo.
The others who joined BJP include Congress leaders Delilah Lobo, Sankalp Amonkar, Aleixo Sequeira, Rajesh Phaldesai, Kedar Naik, and Rudolf Fernandes.
This thing happened soon after BJP chief Sadanand Shet Tanavade made the claims. In the 40-member Goa Assembly, the Congress has 11 legislators and the BJP has 20.
Meanwhile, Goa CM Sawant said “Congress Chhodo Yatra will begin from Goa now” while welcoming the leaders. “We have merged with BJP with a majority of 2/3rd to strengthen the hands of PM Modi and CM Pramod Sawant… ‘Congress Chhodo, BJP ko Jodo’, said former Congress MLA Michael Lobo.
Surprising thing is that this loss to congress took place while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is busy with Bharat Jodo Yatra to combat the BJP-led Centre and awaken the country’s people to the dangers of economic inequalities, political centralization and social polarization. The Yatra includes Padayatra, rallies, and public meetings which will be attended by the senior Congress leaders including Priyanka Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi.
