Goa Legislative Assembly Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar on Thursday endorsed the “merger” of the eight Congress MLAs into the ruling BJP and accordingly reorganised the sitting arrangement in the 40-member House.
After documents submitted were vetted by the Speaker, the Legislature Secretary Namrata Ulman issued a bulletin which noted “The Indian National Congress Party (“INC”) in the Goa Legislative Assembly, has merged into Bharatiya Janata Party (“BJP”).”
“A communication to that effect has been addressed, by members of the Goa Legislative Assembly, namely Michael V Lobo, Digambar Kamat, Aleixo Sequeira, Sankalp Amonkar, Delilah M Lobo, Kedar J Naik, Rajesh Faldessai and Rodolfo L Fernandes, MLAs. Therefore, Hon’ble Speaker has taken note of the same and accordingly, seats are allotted to the members as members of Bhartiya Janata Party in the House,” the bulletin said.
Tawadkar was in Delhi on Wednesday when the Congress rebels approached his office to submit their plea to merge with the BJP.
“Merger has been accepted. Yesterday I was in Delhi. After coming back to Goa, the process was completed,” Tawadkar told the media.
