Panaji4 hours ago
The Congress high command has become active late Sunday night to prevent the MLAs from rebelling in Goa. Sonia Gandhi instructed Mukul Wasnik to go to Panaji to talk to the MLAs. Wasnik reached Panaji in the night itself and has started talks with the MLAs.
Here, the Congress has claimed that the Speaker held a meeting with the rebel MLAs in the hotel late at night. However, the number of MLAs who attended the meeting has not been revealed.
After meeting the rebel MLAs, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that they had come to meet all the problems.
Today’s big updates…
- The new leader of the Congress Legislature Party in Goa will be elected today. Congress observer Mukul Wasnik will also attend the meeting.
- The Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly has canceled the notification announcing the election for the post of Deputy Speaker. Voting was to be held on July 12 during the upcoming monsoon assembly session.
2 big statements amid Goa Congress crisis
1. Dinesh Gundurao – Some of our leaders conspired with the BJP to weaken the Congress party in Goa and lead to defection.
2. Girish Chodankar – Some industrialists, mine owners and coal mafia are allegedly offering Rs 30-40 crore to Congress MLAs to defect.
Michael Lobo removed as Leader of Opposition
Congress in-charge Dinesh Gundurao said that Michael Lobo has been removed from the post of Leader of Opposition. In the midst of political developments, Lobo’s wife had come to meet Chief Minister Pramod Sawant. However, Lobo is yet to make an official announcement of leaving Congress.
Michael Lobo (right) had left the BJP and joined the Congress in January this year.
BJP is away from 1 seat for majority
There are 40 seats in the Goa Legislative Assembly. Congress has 11 and BJP has 20 MLAs. Apart from this, Maharashtra Gomantak Party has 2 MLAs, 3 Independents. According to information received from sources, Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari is going to Goa.
No party got a majority in the state in the 2022 Goa assembly elections. BJP got 20 seats out of the total 40 in the state, while the majority figure is 21. In this way BJP was just one step away from full majority in Goa. However, BJP leaders formed the government in the state with the help of independents.
Only 3 MLAs reached the Congress meeting
Congress has 11 MLAs in Goa. Amidst speculations of rebellion, the party had called an emergency meeting of all the MLAs at around 7 pm on Sunday. It was attended by Girish Chodankar, Dinesh Rao, and Amit Patkar. Digambar Kamat, Michael Lobo, Delilah Lobo, Alexio Sequeira, Kedar Naik, Rajesh Faldesai, Carlos Alvares, Elton Dacosta, Yuri Alemo do not attend the meeting.