Hours after the Goa Congress unit moved a disqualification petition against party leader Michael Lobo and former chief minister Digambar Kamat for “anti-party activities”, the former denied any “hobnobbing” with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The grand old party moved the petition against Lobo and Kamat before Assembly speaker Ramesh Tawadkar.
Lobo told news agency ANI that “somebody wants to become the leader of Opposition” for which such a step was taken by the Congress. The Calangute MLA was removed from the post on Sunday for conspiring to weaken the Congress with the help from the saffron camp after as many as five MLAs went incommunicado.
The disqualification petition was moved by the Goa Congress president Amit Patkar, who said that the activities Lobo and Kamat indulged in amounted to them voluntarily giving up their membership of the party.
{{/usCountry}}The disqualification petition was moved by the Goa Congress president Amit Patkar, who said that the activities Lobo and Kamat indulged in amounted to them voluntarily giving up their membership of the party.
{{/usCountry}}Lobo, however, said earlier in the day that it was his own request that he be removed as the leader of Opposition. He told HT that he had informed Goa Congress in-charge Dinesh Gundu Rao that he is not “interested in continuing… because there are various issues raised” against him by the ruling side.
“It will be very difficult and embarrassing for others. I said senior leader Kamat is there or you can give it to someone else,” Lobo added.
Lobo and Kamat also said that they are still with the Congress and are deeply hurt by the “allegations” levelled against them.
“I have seen the video of the press conference of (All India Congress Committee desk in-charge of Goa) Dinesh Gundu Rao which was circulated. I am shocked, stunned and it has hurt me beyond words,” Kamat, who is also the Congress' senior-most legislator in the coastal state, told reporters.
Meanwhile, Patkar said that seven MLAs are currently with the party, and the new leader of Opposition will be announced soon. He added that senior party leader Mukul Wasnik has also reached the coastal state as advised by Congress president Sonia Gandhi. The latest numbers are two more from Sunday when the party said five of the 11 MLAs are with them.
The five MLAs are Yuri Alemao, Sankalp Amonkar, Altone D'Costa, Carlos Alvares Ferreira, and Rudolf Fernandes. The sixth legislator, Aleixo Sequeira, Patkar said, is in touch with the Congress leaders and is very much with the party. Patkar, however, refused to identify the seventh legislator.
Meanwhile, the ruling BJP has refused to acknowledge any role played in the crisis in the Opposition camp. Goa BJP spokesperson Yatish Naik told reporters earlier in the day that the developments in the Congress happened due to internal differences.
“The BJP has nothing to do with whatever is happening in the Congress party,” he was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
Speaking about dissident Congress MLAs meeting Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant, Naik said that owing to the ongoing Assembly session, many legislators “may have been meeting the CM” but that does not mean the “BJP or the state government is involved in something”.
(With inputs from agencies)