Amid speculations of eight Congress MLAs joining the BJP that has led to high drama in Goa on Sunday, sources in the BJP maintained that the event took place due to the internal bickering within the Congress and not because of “rumoured” defections.
When asked about the possibility of Congress MLAs defecting to the BJP, BJP Goa president Sadanand Tanavade too said he did not know about any Congress MLA joining the BJP. “No one has reached CM Pramod Sawant’s house as well. No one has approached us yet,” Tanavade said.
The unrest in the Congress, however, has led to “rumour mill” with All India Congress Committee (AICC) Goa in charge Dinesh Gundu Rao backing alleged reports that eight MLAs have switched sides to the ruling BJP.
Who is Sending Feelers to Whom?
While Dinesh Gundu Rao has accused Michael Lobo, who was removed from the post of leader of opposition on Sunday, and Goa’s former CM and Congress MLA Digambar Kamat of “conspiring” with the BJP leaders to engineer defections, BJP maintains that it is ignorant of allegations levelled on it by Rao that the BJP is behind the alleged attempt of poaching Congress MLAs.
Rao had accused Lobo and Kamat of trying to weaken the Congress with the help of BJP by engineering defection in Goa whereas the BJP maintains it is Congress’ internal feud which is spilling out in open and does not need to cause any defection.
Digambar Kamat told News18 that Rao had met him at his residence on Saturday night where he had told him that he is “hurt” and that he is still a Congress MLA.
“I told Rao last night that I am hurt. They (central team) come once in blue moon and they do such things and then they go back. He asked me to come to Delhi and I said I have no interest in coming to Delhi,” Kamat said.
The senior Congress leader also said it is every 15 days that “rumours” of defection spread and that there might be some discussions going on amongst the Congress MLAs as the BJP keeps sending feelers. Congress has 11 MLAs in the assembly and would need eight to prevent themselves from being disqualified under Anti-Defection Law.
But are Congress MLAs thinking of defection? “I would not know as I am not a CLP leader. I am just an ordinary Congress MLA. All I can say is that I am in Congress. When many MLAs left Congress even at that time, I stayed with the Congress,” added Kamat.
Sources in the Congress said there is a general sense of frustration as the party is out of power for so many years.
When asked whether he is inclined to join the BJP, one of the Congress MLAs told News18, “At the moment, I am with the Congress. Who knows about the future.”
Short of Two-Third of MLAs, Resign and Re-contest?
Sources in the Congress and BJP also spoke about another option dissident MLAs have if they could not gather two third of the strength needed for defection.
“There is another option of resigning and contesting again and I am sure few of them will get re-elected,” said a source in the BJP.
BJP, however, is treading cautiously while maintaining that it is in majority in 40-member legislative assembly and has not contacted any of the Congress MLAs to join the party.
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