For the moment, it will be advantage BJP if the two legislators desert the Congress
Highlights
- Dayanand Sopte and Subhash Shirodkar met Amit Shah in Delhi
- The Congress recently staked claim to form government in Goa
- The ruling BJP, with 14 lawmakers, enjoys support of two other parties
Two Goa Congress lawmakers met BJP president Amit Shah in Delhi and quit today, ending the party's razor thin edge in the 40-member assembly. The party has been reduced from 16 to 14 and is now evenly matched with the BJP, which is trying to hold its coalition together as Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar battles a pancreatic condition.
Subhash Shirodkar and Dayanand Sopte, who flew to Delhi late last night, faxed their resignation letters to Speaker Pramod Sawant. By Tuesday evening, they were with the BJP.
Dayanand Sopte and Subhash Shirodkar left for Delhi late on Monday night and, until their meeting with Amit Shah, had been very secretive despite speculation about their party swap.
"We expect two-three more legislators to come (with us), not today but in the coming days," Subhash Shirodkar was quoted as telling news agency ANI after his meeting with the BJP president.
The Congress expressed shock. Both lawmakers were part of a Congress meet held to discuss the political situation arising out of Mr Parrikar's health.
Last night, Congress leader A Chellakumar told PTI that he had spoken to both the legislators and they had assured him that they were not quitting the party. This morning, that changed dramatically.
Mr Chellakumar admitted that the legislators "may have been taken by the BJP". He alleged that the two were intimidated by Amit Shah and poached by Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane, who is seen to be aiming for the Chief Minister's post in case Manohar Parrikar steps down over his poor health.
"I got a message that Vishwajit Rane was the man who has convinced and taken them to Delhi and he has bargained with the BJP high command that if he got the two Congress MLAs, he should be made the Chief Minister," Mr Chellakumar claimed.
The latest shake-up in Goa politics comes alongside the BJP's need to firm up its numbers as coalition partners clamour for meaty portfolios.
The BJP also hopes to stymie Congress efforts to raise numbers to form a coalition government.
The ruling BJP, with 14 lawmakers, has the support of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and the Goa Forward Party - both with three lawmakers each, three independent lawmakers and one legislator from the Nationalist Congress Party.
The Congress party recently demanded that they be invited to form government in the state, since the BJP-led coalition was in a state of flux over Mr Parrikar's health.