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Goa LATEST News and Updates: Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant, who on Wednesday accepted at least 10 rebel Congress MLAs into the BJP, said, “They have supported me to strengthen the state government and I welcome it.” The chief minister is likely to meet Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP working president JP Nadda with the MLAs on Thursday. On Wednesday, he said, “They had come for the development of the state and their constituency. They have not put forward any condition, they have joined BJP unconditionally.” The meeting comes a day after a group of the Congress MLAs in Goa led by Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Chandrakant Kavlekar merged with the ruling BJP, increasing the saffron party’s strength to 27 in the 40-seat house. Sawant, who is in Delhi, was quoted by PTI as saying that a decision on dropping any minister from the coalition partners in the state will be taken after meeting senior BJP leaders, including Shah and party’s working president JP Nadda. The Goa Congress on Wednesday alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was not only attempting to have ‘One Nation One Election’, but ‘One Nation One Party’. The remark came after 10 of the 15 Congress legislators merged with the BJP in Goa late on Wednesday. In a statement, Congress’ Goa unit president Girish Chodankar said the BJP has exposed its “intense insecurity” with its coalition partner and within its camp by inducting ten Congress MLAs in their camp. [caption id=“attachment_6974301” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] ANI[/caption] “Despite having clear numbers on the floor of the House, BJP chief minister Pramod Sawant indulging into such unethical means has displayed his fear to face the united Opposition for the upcoming Assembly session,” he said. Furthermore, Chodankar claimed that the 10 legislators who merged with the BJP have fallen prey to blackmailing and other “luring tactics” adopted by the BJP by “taking advantage of their weaknesses.” “Is this the new India that the BJP advocating after the Lok Sabha election?” he asked. Continuing his tirade against the ruling party, the Congress leader said the entire episode reflected of “utter misuse of power” by the saffron party. “This is also a lesson to its alliance partners who went against the mandate of people in 2017 and installed BJP in power. This was the day in waiting as they disrespected the common people. It is time for the Congress to go back to the grass root level and expose the BJP. The move of ten MLAs switching sides will not augur well with the electorate who will defeat the BJP and its cronies once again, repeating the performance of 2017,” he said. “People are watching this naked game of destruction of democracy and they will certainly teach a lesson to those involved in this utter shameful act of murdering Democracy,” Chodankar added. The 10 Congress MLAs who severed ties with the grand old party are – Chandrakant Kavlekar, Isidore Fernandes, Francis Silveira, Filipe Neri Rodrigues, Jennifer, Atanasio Monserrate, Antonio Fernandes, Nilakanth Halarnkar, Clafacio Dias and Wilfred D’Sa.
Goa LIVE News and Updates: Pramod Sawant says he 'welcomes' support from rebel Congress MLAs to 'strengthen' state govt
Goa LIVE News and Updates: Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant, who on Wednesday accepted at least 10 rebel Congress MLAs into the BJP, said, ‘They have supported me to strengthen the state government and I welcome it."
 "Goa LIVE News and Updates: Pramod Sawant says he 'welcomes' support from rebel Congress MLAs to 'strengthen' state govt")
Utpal Parrikar says Congress defections are a ‘different path’ from Manohar Parrikar’s actions
Utpal Parrikar, BJP leader and the elder son of late Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar said that the latest development in Goa is “definitely” a different path his father’s. “I knew on 17 Mar, when my father passed away, that it was end of that path. But Goans learnt about it yesterday,” he said.
Pramod Sawant yet to take decision on dropping allies from cabinet
The GFP, with its three MLAs, had extended support to the Manohar Parrikar-led government in the year 2017 and then the Pramod Sawant-led government in 2019.
The three GFP legislators are members of the Sawant- led cabinet. Apart from them, three Independent legislators are part of the government, of whom two are ministers.
Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant said the BJP was yet to take a decision on its coalition partners (whether to keep them in government or not). With 27 MLAs, the party does not allies anymore. “At least for now we have not decided anything,” he said.
Goa coalition members likely to be dropped from cabinet
The 10 Congress MLAs’ move of merging with the ruling BJP in Goa on Wednesday triggered speculations that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant may drop some coalition members from his cabinet.
However, Goa Forward Party (GFP) president and Deputy Chief Minister Vijai Sardesai said his party was not related to the development and he has not been told about the implications of the Congress MLAs’ move on his party.
“One party has split and another party has accepted them. My party is not related to the development,” Sardesai reacted. “We are part of the NDA and I have not been told about any implication of this development on my party,” he added.
Sonia Gandhi chairs meeting with all Congress MPs in Delhi
UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Thursday chaired a meeting with the Congress MPs of both, Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha at the Congress office in Parliament amid the political crises in Karnataka and Goa.
Delhi: UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi chairs a meeting of Congress MPs of both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha at Congress office in Parliament pic.twitter.com/4HdaBE77xe
— ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2019
Congress reduced to 5 MLAs in Goa
With the resignation of 10 MLAs from the Congress in Goa, the party’s strength in the state’s Assembly has been reduced to five MLAs. Meanwhile, the ruling BJP’s strength has gone up to 27.
The Congress had won 17 seats in the Assembly elections in 2017, but two MLAs had shifted out of the party earlier.
Pramod Sawant welcomes ‘support’ to strengthen Goa govt
Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant, who on Wednesday accepted at least 10 rebel Congress MLAs into the BJP, said, “They have supported me to strengthen the state government and I welcome it.”
The chief minister is likely to meet Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP working president JP Nadda with the MLAs on Thursday.
On Wednesday, he said, “They had come for the development of the state and their constituency. They have not put forward any condition, they have joined BJP unconditionally.”
Goa CM Pramod Sawant on 10 Congress MLAs who have merged with BJP, in Delhi: The MLAs will meet Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP Working President JP Nadda today. They have supported me to strengthen the state government and I welcome it. pic.twitter.com/pE6hF22nFx
— ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2019
We wanted to be part of development: Goa MLA who joined BJP
Isidore Fernandes, a Goa Congress MLA who merged with the ruling BJP on Wednesday said that the MLAs took the step because they “wanted to be part of development”.
Fernandes, who is in Delhi, added, “BJP is an inclusive party. Congress is a divided house where everyone is bothered about themselves.”
Lok Sabha MPs give adjournment motion notice over Karnataka, Goa crises
At least two MPs have submitted an adjournment motion notice in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, over the political crises rapidly unfolding in Karnataka and Goa. TMC’s Saugata Ray and Congress MP K Suresh have submitted the notices.
Sonia, Rahul Gandhi protest against Karnataka and Goa political crisis
Congress leaders including Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, and Anand Sharma protested against the political crisis facing in party in Karnataka and Goa on Thursday. They stood in protest in front of the Gandhi statue in the Parliament complex in Delhi. Rahul said, “We are protesting against Karnataka and Goa issue”
Delhi: Congress leaders including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Anand Sharma protest in front of Gandhi statue in Parliament. Rahul Gandhi tells ANI, "We are protesting against Karnataka and Goa issue" pic.twitter.com/wmZCj7Pihn
— ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2019
Pramod Sawant, rebel MLAs to meet Amit Shah today
Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant and the 10 rebel Congress MLAs, who have switched to the BJP, will on Thursday meet BJP President Amit Shah in New Delhi.
The meeting comes a day after a group of the Congress MLAs in Goa led by Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Chandrakant Kavlekar merged with the ruling BJP, increasing the saffron party’s strength to 27 in the 40-seat house.
Sawant, who is in Delhi, was quoted by PTI as saying that a decision on dropping any minister from the coalition partners in the state will be taken after meeting senior BJP leaders, including Shah and party’s working president JP Nadda.
Rebel Congress MLAs handed over letter to Speaker Rajesh Patnekar
The letter of merger was handed over to Speaker Rajesh Patnekar in Sawant’s presence Wednesday evening. Patnekar later said that he had received the letter.
The chief minister said with this, the BJP’s numbers have gone up to 27 on the floor of the House. The Congress MLAs had expressed willingness to join the BJP, he said.
Crisis for Congress shifts to Goa as 10 MLAs merge with BJP
A group of ten Congress MLAs in Goa led by the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Chandrakant Kavlekar on Wednesday merged with the ruling BJP, increasing the saffron party’s strength to 27 in the 40-seat house.
The Congress, which had emerged as single-largest party after 2017 Assembly polls in the coastal state, is now reduced to five legislators. Accompanied by Kavlekar and nine other Congress MLAs, Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant announced that two-thirds of the Congress Legislative Party — enough to avoid action under the anti-defection law — has merged into the BJP.
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