“Some of our leaders had hatched a conspiracy with the BJP to weaken the Congress in Goa and engineer defections. This conspiracy was led by two of our leaders: LOP Michael lobo and Digambar Kamat,” AICC Goa in-charge Dinesh Gundu Rao said.
Rao accused Kamat of indulging in “cheap and dirty politics” and called Lobo a “traitor and a back-stabber”.
“These two men were working in perfect coordination with the BJP. Kamat did this to protect his skin as there are many cases against him. Lobo did this for power and position. BJP used money power and institution. power to eliminate the opposition,” he said.
Rao said a new leader of the opposition would be elected, adding that whatever action is to be taken by law against such defection and anti-party actions, will be followed.
‘Big bucks offered’
The Congress has 11 MLAs in the 40-member Goa Legislative Assembly. There are rumors that around 7-8 Congress MLAs may join the ruling BJP as some MLAs did not attend an important party meeting on Sunday.
“Let us see how many people will stay or move around. Five of our MLAs are here, we are in touch with some more MLAs and they will stay with us,” Rao said.
“The BJP was trying to do a 2/3 split to see that at least 8 of our MLAs go away. Huge sums have been offered to many of our people. I am surprised by the amount offered. But our 6 The MLAs stand firm, I am proud of them,” he said.
Amid speculations of another split in the party, around 7-10 Congress MLAs had gathered at a hotel in Margao earlier in the day. Rao had met the MLAs at the hotel and reportedly discussed issues and floor management strategy for the assembly session starting Monday.
Kamat – the party’s chief ministerial candidate in the elections held earlier this year – and Lobo were not present at the hotel.
Kamat and Lobo
There was speculation that Kamat and Lobo were considering leaving the Congress and joining the BJP. However, both the leaders denied these reports.
Lobo had said earlier in the day, “These are all rumours. There is nothing like it. Vidhan Sabha (session) is starting and rumours have to be spread by someone or the other.” He was under pressure from the government over the irregularities he had allegedly committed as a BJP MLA.
Meanwhile, Goa Assembly Speaker Ramesh Tawadkari On Sunday, the notification for the deputy speaker’s post was canceled, which was scheduled to be held on July 12.
not the first time
This is not the first time that Congress MLAs in Goa have joined the BJP. In July 2019, the then Leader of Opposition Chandrakant ‘Babu’ Kavlekar joined the BJP along with nine Congress MLAs. The BJP currently has 20 MLAs and has 2. has the support of mgp member and three independents.
Ahead of the 2022 elections, the Congress had administered an oath to its MLAs in front of both the church and the temple that they would not leave the party and would switch to the BJP after being elected.
(with inputs from agencies)