Shame On You, Says Digvijaya Singh, To Manohar Parrikar's Thank You Dig

New Delhi:

Congress's Digvijaya Singh today hit out at Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar who, on Friday, took a dig at him by thanking Mr Singh for failing to install a Congress government in the state despite winning the most seats in the assembly elections

Mr Singh, who alleged that the BJP indulged in buying of lawmakers in the state, tweeted this morning, "If he (Manohar Parrikar) has to thank anyone it is Nitin Gadkari who did aggressive MLA Shopping on 12th March early morning from Hotel in Goa."

Demanding apology from the BJP, Mr Singh said, "Shame on you Mr Parrikar and your hunger for power. You have cheated the People of Goa. Apologise to them."

Digvijaya Singh also alleged that the Goa Governor Mridula Sinha "robbed the mandate of people".

Mr Parrikar, who resigned as the country's Defence Minister to return to his home state earlier this month, visited the Rajya Sabha on Friday during Zero Hour to thank the members of the House.

While thanking the members of the House he took a dig at Digvijaya Singh, who was the leader in-charge of Goa during assembly elections. "My special thanks to honourable member Digvijaya Singh, who happened to be in Goa but did nothing so that I could form the government."

In election results announced earlier this month, no party won a majority in Goa. The BJP, which won fewer seats than the Congress, quickly gathered the support of regional parties and staked claim to form government. The Congress and its senior leader in-charge of the state Digvijaya Singh could only watch helplessly as Mr Parrikar resigned at the centre and took oath as Chief Minister, winning a vote of confidence the same weekend.

Many state Congress leaders have blamed Digvijaya Singh for the party failing to form government in Goa.

Digvijaya Singh has alleged that Goa Governor Mridula Sinha should not have invited the BJP to form government without consulting the Congress as single largest party in Goa, and had moved a motion in the Rajya Sabha to discuss her conduct. It has not been taken up yet.

Manohar Parrikar had resigned as Goa Chief Minister in 2014 to come to the centre as Defence Minister and a Rajya Sabha MP. Since he did not contest this year's Goa polls, he will now have to be elected from an assembly seat in the state within six months.