BJP secures support of regional parties, all set to return to power in Goa
The party, which managed to secure 13 seats in the Goa legislative assembly, had fallen short of eight seats required to achieve a majority.
After a long Sunday spent seeking support from regional parties, the BJP is all set to return to governance in Goa for its second term in a row.
The party, which managed to secure 13 seats in the Goa legislative assembly, had fallen short of eight seats required to achieve a majority. However, things began falling in place after senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari flew down to Panaji on Sunday morning and held a meeting at the Cidade De Goa with all its winning MLAs. Manohar Parrikar also attended the event, which went on till seven in the evening.
Later, the BJP and its allies went to meet the Goa governor to prove their majority in the house.
“We have decided to extend our support to the BJP as we feel that the Congress has no candidate worthy of the chief ministerial post. But we want Parrikar as the chief minister because nobody else is suitable for the job,” said Sudin Dhavalikar of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP).
With this alliance, the BJP will gain three crucial seats.
The regional party had opposed the BJP during the elections, criticising it for not supporting the Konkani language.
A similar request was put forward by Vijay Sardesai of the Goa Forward Party, which comes with three seats. “We were with the Congress during the elections, but after discussions with the BJP high command, we feel they (the BJP) want to work on regional issues like us. Therefore, we have decided to extend our support to the BJP,” he told mediapersons.
Two independent MLAs – Rohan Khaunte from Porvorim and Govind Gaude from Priol – have also extended their support to the saffron party.
It is also rumoured that Nationalist Congress Party member Churchill Alemao, who won from Benaulim constituency, will extend support to the BJP. However, no official statement has been released in this regard.