High drama in Goa: 10 of 15 MLAs split from Congress, join BJP

NEW DELHI/ PANAJI: As it holds onto power by a thread in Karnataka, the Congress has imploded in neighbouring Goa. Ten out of 15 Congress MLAs have split from the party in Goa and have merged with the ruling BJP.

"Ten Congress MLAs, along with their Opposition Leader, have merged with the BJP. The strength of the BJP has now risen to 27. They had come for the development of the state and their constituency. They have not put forward any condition, they have joined BJP unconditionally," Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant said.

The Congress is left with only five MLAs in the seaside state where the party had emerged the single largest party in 2017. Since two-thirds of the MLAs have split, they do not have to quit the assembly.

The MLAs who broke away are Babu Kavalekar, Babush Monserrate, his wife Jennifer Monserrate, Tony Fernandes, Francis Silveira, Filipe Neri Rodrigues, Clafasio, Wilfred De Sa, Nilkant Halankar and Isidore Fernandes. As they met the Speaker, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant was present. The BJP now has 17 lawmakers in the 40-member assembly.