Cong loses 2 MLAs in Goa; setback for BJP in Raj

Panaji: In a significant setback to the Congress in Goa, two of its legislators resigned Tuesday as members of the state Assembly, reducing the party's strength from 16 to 14 in the 40-member House.

Subhash Shirodkar and Dayanand Sopte, who went to Delhi late Monday night, faxed their resignation letters to Speaker Pramod Sawant and are set to join the BJP.

With their resignation, the Congress ceases to be the single largest party in the Assembly whose effective strength now stands reduced to 38.

The development assumes further significance as it comes at a time when Goa is witnessing hectic political activity against the backdrop of the ill-health of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.

"Subhash Shirodkar and Dayanand Sopte faxed their resignations as members of the Assembly to my office. We have received their resignations," Sawant said.

The Speaker said the resignations had been accepted.

"Shirodkar and I have resigned as MLAs and also from the primary membership of the Congress. We have sent our resignations to the Congress party," Sopte said from Delhi.

The leader of Opposition in Goa Assembly Chandrakant Kavlekar expressed shock over the development.

"We came to know through media reports that two of our legislators are in touch with the BJP and might resign. We are shocked," he told reporters here.

Sopte and Shirodkar were part of the crucial Congress Legislature Party meeting held in the state earlier to discuss the political situation arising out of the ill-health of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, Kavlekar said.

Sopte, 54, represented the Mandrem Assembly constituency in North Goa district, while Shirodkar, 66, was elected from the Shiroda in South Goa district.

In the 40-member Goa Assembly, the Parrikar government has the support of 23 MLAs. These comprise 14 BJP MLAs, three each from the Goa Forward Party and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party as well as three Independents. The Congress, with 16 seats, had emerged as the single largest party in the fractured verdict thrown up in the Assembly elections held in March last year.

In another development, veteran BJP leader Jaswant Singh's son Manvendra has decided to join the Congress in a significant political development ahead of the assembly elections in Rajasthan.

The move came after MLA Manvendra Singh announced to quit the BJP in his 'Swabhiman Rally' held in Barmer last month where he had said "Kamal ka phool, badi bhool".

"Manvendra Singh is joining the Congress in New Delhi on Wednesday," Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee President Sachin Pilot said.