Vijai Sardesai alleged that the ruling government wanted to finish Manohar Parrikar's legacy.
Outgoing deputy chief minister of Goa Vijai Sardesai on Saturday said the induction of ten lawmakers of the Congress into the Bharatiya Janata Party was the "death of the legacy" of late chief minister Manohar Parrikar - the tallest BJP leader in the coastal state credited for forming the coalition government in 2017 by bringing together regional parties.
The Congress in Goa suffered a body blow on Wednesday when ten of its 15 Members of the Legislative Assembly switched over to the BJP, a development that raised the ruling stock in the 40-member House to 27.
They have found a place in the cabinet as Chief Minister Pramod Sawant dropped four ministers -- three of the Goa Forward Party (GFP), including Vijai Sardesai, and one Independent - from his cabinet.
"Parrikar died twice...once on March 17 physically while today it is the death of his political legacy," Mr Sardesai told a gathering held near the Manohar Parrikar memorial at Miramar.
Meanwhile, Mr Sardesai also announced that the Goa Forward Party (GFP) was "withdrawing" its support to the BJP- led government.
He alleged that the ruling government wanted to finish Manohar Parrikar's legacy, which won't be allowed.
"We supported the Pramod Sawant government because I had given my word to Parrikar that the support to the government will continue in any circumstances. We now feel cheated and ditched by the NDA (National Democratic Alliance)," he said.
Mr Sardesai reiterated that he had not received any word from BJP leaders at the Centre.
"The central leadership of the BJP has lost its face. The NDA has ditched their partners," he said.