Lagatar24 Desk
Panaji, Sept 14: Eight Congress MLAs, including Michael Lobo and former chief minister Digambar Kamat joined the BJP on Wednesday in Goa. As a result, three MLAs remain for the Congress in the state.
The MLAs who joined the saffron party include Digambar Kamat, Michael Lobo, Delilah Lobo, Rajesh Phaldesai, Kedar Naik, Sankalp Amonkar, Aleixo Sequeira and Rudolf Fernandes. They also met with CM Pramod Sawant earlier in the day.
Goa | 8 Congress MLAs including Digambar Kamat, Michael Lobo, Delilah Lobo, Rajesh Phaldesai, Kedar Naik, Sankalp Amonkar, Aleixo Sequeira & Rudolf Fernandes join BJP in presence of CM Pramod Sawant pic.twitter.com/uxp7YaZAUN
— ANI (@ANI) September 14, 2022
“We have joined BJP to strengthen the hands of PM Modi and CM Pramod Sawant… Congress chhodo, BJP ko jodo,” said former Congress MLA, Michael Lobo.
“I welcome the 8 MLAs who have joined BJP today… Congress started the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, but I think ‘Congress Chhodo Yatra’ started in Goa. People from across the country are leaving Congress and joining BJP,” said Goa CM Pramod Sawant.
A resolution to combine with the BJP was passed by the Goa Congress Legislature Party earlier in the day, just after BJP state president Sadanand Shet Tanavade announced that eight Congress MLAs would join the opposition coalition.
In the presence of seven other MLAs, opposition leader Michael Lobo made the resolution-moving motion. According to sources, Digambar Kamat, a former chief minister and MLA, seconded the proposal.
The BJP had 20 legislators and the Congress had 11 in the 40-member Goa Assembly.
