Goa Minister Michael Lobo and BJP MLA Pravin Zante on Monday resigned from the party and the assembly ahead of next month’s state elections. The Goa BJP unit later said such steps would not affect the party’s prospects in the February 14 assembly polls in the state.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that “some defections” cannot stop the agenda of good governance and expressed confidence that the people of Goa will vote for his party for another term. Lobo, who represented Calangute assembly constituency and held charge of the state port and waste management departments, submitted his resignation to the Chief Minister’s Office and the Goa Assembly Speaker in the morning.
According to sources, he is likely to join the Congress. I have resigned from both the posts. I will see what steps are to be taken next. Lobo later told reporters that I have also resigned from the BJP.
Asked whether he would join the Congress, Lobo said he was in talks with other political parties. He claimed that people are unhappy with the ruling BJP in the coastal state.
He said, “Voters told me that the BJP was no longer a party of the common people, claiming that grassroots workers were feeling neglected by the party. Hours later, Zante, who represents the Mayem assembly constituency, also joined the BJP and He tendered his resignation from the state assembly.
Zante told reporters that he had joined the BJP at the behest of former chief minister Manohar Parrikar, and claimed that after his death, he was sidelined in the party. He also claimed that his constituency faced the problem of unemployment, which the state government “failed” to address. Meanwhile, CM Sawant in a tweet said, Bharatiya Janata Party is one big family which continues to serve the motherland with full devotion! To fulfill the agenda of some defection, greed and personal interests cannot stop our agenda of good governance.
The people of Goa have seen the governance and development model of BJP for a decade and I am sure they will give us one more term in their service. Jai Hind, Jai Goa, the Chief Minister said in another tweet. Goa BJP president Sadanand Shet Tanawade said Lobo’s decision to quit the party will have no bearing on his prospects in the upcoming state elections.
Lobo had left the party long back and he was only physically present with us, Tanawade said. He may have left, but other workers of Calangute assembly constituency are with the party.
Tanwade said that the BJP will again field its candidate in the Calangute assembly seat. The Election Commission of India on Saturday announced that elections for all 40 assembly constituencies in Goa will be held on February 14.
The main political parties are BJP, Congress, Goa Forward Party (GFP), Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Trinamool Congress Party (TMC), and NCP. In the 2017 Goa Assembly elections, the Congress emerged as the single largest party, but failed to form the government.
The BJP then tied up with some regional organizations and independent candidates to come to power in the coastal state. The Congress currently has only two MLAs in the state.
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