Sources said that five Congress MLAs, including Michael Lobo, are reportedly at the chief minister’s residence.
New Delhi:
After a full day of denying reports of some of its MLAs joining the ruling BJP in Goa, the Congress has sacked Michael Lobo as the Leader of the Opposition. The grand old party said in a press conference that some of its leaders along with the BJP had hatched a “conspiracy” to weaken it and engineer defections.
Congress Goa said, “Some of our leaders along with the BJP had hatched a conspiracy to see that the Congress party in Goa has become weak and defection. This conspiracy was led by two of our own leaders LOP Michael Lobo and Digambar. Kamat did it.” In-charge Dinesh Gundu Rao said.
“These two men were working in perfect coordination with the BJP. One person – Digambar Kamat – did it to protect his skin because so many matters to him and the other man – Michael Lobo – for power and position. BJP Want to eliminate the opposition.”
Congress President Sonia Gandhi has asked senior party leader Mukul Wasnik to visit Goa to “keep an eye on the latest political developments” in the state.
Honorable Congress President has asked Mr. @mukulwasnikThe MP will visit Goa to monitor the latest political developments in the state.
— KC Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) 10 July 2022
In a late night tweet, KC Venugopal, AICC General Secretary, Organization said, “Congress President has asked Shri @MukulWasnik, MP to visit Goa to monitor the latest political developments in the state.”
Sources said that five Congress MLAs Michael Lobo, Delilah Lobo, Digambar Kamat, Kedar Naik and Rajesh Faldesai are reportedly at the chief minister’s residence.
According to sources, Digambar Kamat, the party’s chief ministerial candidate in the elections held earlier this year, did not attend the MLAs’ meeting on Saturday.
Eight MLAs need to leave the Congress so that the anti-defection law does not apply.
A day ahead of the Assembly session, a party meeting today witnessed minimal attendance amid reports of some leaders being in touch with the ruling BJP.
While the Congress had earlier denied any rift within the party, Goa unit chief Amit Patkar said such rumors were being spread by the ruling BJP ahead of the two-week budget session of the Assembly, news agency PTI reported.
The ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has 25 MLAs and the opposition Congress 11 in the 40-member Goa assembly.
The Congress last saw a split in 2019, when most of its MLAs switched to the BJP, leaving the party with only four former chief ministers.
During the Goa elections earlier this year, the party administered an oath to all its MLAs not to switch sides.