the goan I network
PANAJI
Goa was rocked by a political tsunami late Wednesday evening with 10 MLAs led by Opposition Leader Babu Kavlekar merged into the Bharatiya Janata Party wrecking the Opposition Congress and raising the strength of the ruling party to 27 on its own.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced the merger of the 10-member breakaway Congress group after completing the legal formality of submitting the split and merger letters to the Speaker Rajesh Patnekar.
All 10 MLAs were expected to leave for Delhi late Wednesday night for a meeting with Union Home Minister and BJP President Amit Shah.
“Two-thirds of the Congress legislature party, under Opposition Leader Chandrakant Kavlekar’s leadership split and merged their group into the BJP. They have done it to strengthen the government and in the interests of Goans. Our strength has risen from 17 to 27,” Sawant told the media outside the Goa legislative Assembly complex where they had gone to seek approval of the Speaker for the merger.
The development has dealt a body blow to the Opposition Congress, depleting its legislative strength from 15 to 5. It will also leave the crucial Opposition Leader’s post vacant in the House which is slated to convene for its monsoon session on July 15.
Sawant, meanwhile, declined to comment on whether he will effect any changes in his coalition government, although political circles were agog with reports that all non-BJP ministers in his cabinet will be dropped to make way for the new entrants.
He said, the development will strengthen the party in Goa and that it was cleared by the party’s High Command.
Sources said, Kavlekar will be made deputy chief minister in place of incumbent Vijai Sardesai. Three other cabinet ministers Jayesh Salgaonkar and Vinoda Palienkar of the GFP and Independent Rohan Khaunte, are expected to be replaced with members from the the newly merged group which most likely will be Babush Monserrate and Filipe Neri Rodrigues.
Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo and Shiroda MLA Subhash Shirodkar could also get a look in for inclusion in the cabinet in which case Art and Culture Minister, Govind Gaude’s neck could be on the block.
Kavlekar, meanwhile, attributed the decision to desert the Congress to the infighting among top leaders of the Congress in Goa. He also said that the lack of development in the constituencies represented by the Opposition MLAs was another reason that motivated them to take the step.
Aside from Kavlekar, Isidore Fernandes, Francis Silveira, Filipe Neri Rodrigues, the husband-wife Monserrate duo of Atanasio alias Babush and Jennifer, Antonio Fernandes, Nilakanth Halarnkar, Clafacio Dias and Wilfred D’Sa form the group of 10 who deserted the Congress and merged with BJP.
The five legislators who remain with the Congress include four ex-chief ministers - Pratapsing Rane, Digamber Kamat, Luizinho Faleiro and Ravi Naik - and Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginald Lourenco.
