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'Cuckoo bird is chiming': Manish Tewari tweets as Goa Congress hit by defection
The ruling BJP, with 20 seats, is one short of majority mark but the party enjoys the support of three independent MLAs and two members of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP).
Congress MP Manish Tewari on Wednesday posted a cryptic tweet on “erstwhile Portuguese Territory” amid reports of eight Congress MLAs in Goa set to form a split group and merge with the ruling BJP. Eight Congress MLAs, led by Michael Lobo and Digambar Kamat, have gathered at the Goa Legislative Assembly ahead of an expected move to join the Bharatiya Janata Party.
“A cuckoo bird is chiming Something is apparently cooking in an erstwhile Portuguese Territory . Does not smell good…….! Hope the cuckoo bird is wrong…….” Tewari tweeted.
The MLAs held a meeting in the chamber of the Leader of Opposition Michael Lobo and a resolution was passed to “merge” the Congress legislative party into the BJP. Michael Lobo told reporters that the MLAs have joined the BJP “to strengthen the hands of PM Modi and CM Pramod Sawant”
“'Congress chhodo, BJP ko jodo',” he said.
The Congress had 11 MLAs in 40-member strong Goa Legislative Assembly. The ruling BJP, with 20 seats, was one short of majority mark but the party enjoyed the support of three independent MLAs and two members of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP).
The move to switch sides comes despite all contesting Congress candidates had signed sworn affidavits that they would not jump ship after getting elected. The oaths were pronounced in the presence of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as well as before a temple, church and mosque.
This is not the first time after 2022 state elections that Goa Congress MLAs have attempted to join the BJP. However, earlier attempt in July this year failed as the splinter group could not gather requisite numbers to join BJP without attracting disqualification under the anti-defection law.
During the previous Legislative assembly term, 10 of 15 Congress MLAs merged with the BJP, while 27 of 40 MLAs were no longer with the party they were first elected from.
