PANAJI
In a sudden development, former minister and Saligao MLA Jayesh Salgaonkar of the Goa Forward Party (GFP) resigned as MLA late Thursday night and is expected to join the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday.
Salgaonkar is the second MLA to quit membership of the House after former Navelim MLA Luizinho Faleiro, reducing the strength to 38.
Salgaonkar, who reports said had been issued a show-cause notice by the GFP on Thursday morning for alleged "anti-party activities" submitted his resignation letter as MLA to the office of the Speaker Rajesh Patnekar at the Goa legislative assembly complex late on Thursday night a little before 10 pm.
Earlier on Thursday, the BJP dissolved its Saligao mandal after workers raised the banner of revolt and refused to toe the line walking out of a meeting at the State party office called to discuss the issue of Salgaonkar's entry.
There was also intense speculation on Thursday that former chief minister and Ponda MLA, Ravi Naik will also be joining the BJP on Friday.
In the show-cause notice issued to Salgaonkar by the GFP, it alleged that he had been continuously hob-nobbing with BJP, specially its General Secretary (Organisation) Satish Dhond.
“Your behaviour and conduct during the past few months clearly indicate that your intent is to work with the BJP for personal gains, thereby compromising the values and policies of the party,” the GFP show cause notice reads.
Salgaonkar, incidentally was not part of the GFP delegation which went to Delhi to meet the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi earlier this week.
Expectedly, the BJP's Saligao mandal workers vociferously opposed the entry of Salgaonkar into the party and a meeting with the State leadership failed to convince them.
Some of the workers warned of working against the party in the constituency if Salgaonkar is admitted and given the ticket following which BJP State president, Sadanand Tanavade issued a statement dissolving the Saligao Mandal.
Meanwhile, BJP sources said, apart from Salgaonkar, Ponda MLA Ravi Naik is also likely to join the party on Friday.
Naik had of late distanced himself from all activities of the Congress even staying away from a recent event which was presided over by former Finance Minister P Chidambaram.
His switch to the saffron fold was imminent as his two sons Ritesh and Roy had joined the BJP nearly a year ago embarrassing the Congress then.
