This may be one of the most embarrassing defeat of Congress on the floor the house as they lost one of their votes and their strength reduced from 17 to 16. However, BJP kept its word by showing complete majority with 23 votes in their account. (more to join in soon) This displays the weak leadership of Congress in the state as despite being the single largest party they could not stake the claim to form the government in the state and the same time making the tall claims of proving the majority on the floor despite knowing the fact that they have no support from the outside. The situation became more embarrassing on the floor when their one legislature Valpoi MLA Vishwajit Rane walked out of the house at the time of voting.
Finally, the most awaited floor test of the Goa Legislative Assembly got over with the BJP proving the complete majority with the support of 22 MLAs on their side. The claims made by the Congress party became the subject of hilarity in the 40 member house. The clear split in Congress became more visible when their own candidate walked out of the house without claiming his vote in the favour of his own party.
Following the strength test on the floor of the house, Mr. Parrikar told the media that, “The resolution motion was passed with 22 to 16. With Speaker supporting the ruling benches. We have proved before the people of India, and as promised we have the support of 23, debunking Digvijaya’s claim that they have numbers which they didn’t have it from the beginning. There was talk that Digvijaya has stepped down as desk in-charge. This happens when you come to Goa only to enjoy and not to work.” said Mr. Parrikar adding that “There are wild allegations being made with coloured glasses. As you saw, everyone voluntarily came and voted. Nobody was kept in a hotel or secluded place.” (source) Meanwhile, Parrikar refused to make any statement on the walk out of the Congress legislature from Valpoi saying that, “The was the matter of Congress to deal with.”
There was huge enthusiasm seen in the BJP camp after they defeated the Congress in the floor test. There is a news that the lone NCP MLA Churchill Alemao may also take shelter in the BJP camp after the Congress has lost the floor test with huge embarrassment, said the sources.
The floor test started at 12.30pm finished within just 15 minutes with BJP getting the clear majority in the assembly with 22 votes including the speaker. BJP who won the 13 seats in the assembly election had received the support of 22 MLAs while the single largest party Congress who had 17 seats in their account had left with the support of only 16 MLAs.
Meanwhile replying to the allegations of Congress on the issue of Sardesai taken money to get into the BJP camp, Vijai Sardesai challenged them to prove the allegations saying that, “Congress should not have taken my support for granted. I am not up for sale and Goa knows it.” According to the sources, the Valpoi Congress MLA Vishwajit Rane told the media prior to the floor test that “As of now, I am with Congress party. I am going to vote for Congress.” But nobody knew what happened within the half an hour of time that he (Vishwajit Rane) walked out of the house without casting his vote reducing the congress to 16 from the 17.
Meanwhile, the senior Congress leader Om Prakash Mishra had called the swearing-in ceremony as a scam. Citing the BJP is resorting to the unfair means to get back into power Mr. Mishra said, “This swearing-in ceremony of Manohar Parrikar as the chief minister of Goa is a big scam and BJP has resorted to unfair means. Throughout Goa, people are protesting as to why the saffron party did such a low act to come to power.” He said alleging that the media is not showing this part, “Why is the media not showing all this?.”
Mr. Parrikar told the media that, there will be a cabinet meeting on Friday to allot the portfolios to sworn in members. “The cabinet meeting has been scheduled for tomorrow (Friday). A full-fledged allotment of portfolios will take place in April, once the Budget session is completed,” Said Mr. Parrikar.
NEWS SOURCE: VARIOUS SOURCES | IMAGE SOURCE
