BJPs Goa leadership submits memorandum to President Patil, demands right to form government

Bharatiya Janata Party President Rajnath Singh today led leaders of the partys Goa unit to Rashtrapati Bhavan, and submitted a memorandum of protest to President Pratibha Patil over the emerging political developments in the coastal state.

New Delhi, July 28 : Bharatiya Janata Party President Rajnath Singh today led leaders of the party's Goa unit to Rashtrapati Bhavan, and submitted a memorandum of protest to President Pratibha Patil over the emerging political developments in the coastal state.

Emerging from the meeting, Singh told mediapersons in the forecourt of the presidential complex that the Goa unit of the BJP had emphasised that they were in a position to form a government in that state in the wake of the Congress-led combine being reduced to a minority.

He said that the points highlighted in the meeting with President Patil were as follows:

1. The State Assembly was in session and the Speaker (Pratapsinh Rane) had on July 26 asked Chief Minister Digambar Kamat to move a bill as per agenda.Kamat failed do so and the house was allowed to be adjourned. Again, after some time, the ruling party members did not allow the house to function in view of their certain defeat.

2. On the evening of July 26, Manohar Parrikar (leader of the BJP in Goa) along with proof of support of 20 MLAs, as against 18 of the ruling side met Governor S.C.Jamir and staked a claim to form a government in the state. An attempt was made to pressurise MLAs and ensure that the house does not sit in view of the clear fact that they do not have the majority.

3. That the BJP and allies were ready to test the strength of their majority on the floor of the house, and in this regard, the President must ensure that the Goa Assembly sits on July 30 without fail, that there should be a direction that the first agenda on the day should be a trial of strength, which must be done in the presence of the observer and proceedings be videographed, and that in view of the certain defeat of the Congress-led combine, Governor Jamir must invite Manohar Parrikar to form the next government immediately.

It may be recalled that the ruling Kamat Ministry has been reduced to a minority following the withdrawal of support extended to it by two Maharashtra Gomantak Party legislators, two Save Goa Front legislators, one United Goans Democratic Party legislator and one independent MLA.

In addition one Congress legislator Victoria Fernandes has withdrawn support and has also resigned her legislative membership while the house was in session.

The said MLAs along with 14 MLAs of the BJP came together and formed Goa Democratic Alliance and has elected Manohar Parrikar of the BJP as leader, Sudin Dhavlikar of the MGP as convener and Churchill Alemao as the spokesperson of the alliance.

ANI