Goa: Big blow to Congress, 8 MLAs including former CM in BJP

In Goa, out of 11 party MLAs, 8 have joined the BJP. Due to this, now only three Congress MLAs are left in the 40-member assembly. Former Congress MLA Michael Lobo said that we have joined BJP to strengthen the hands of PM Modi and CM Pramod Sawant. ‘Quit Congress, join BJP’. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday said that eight Congress MLAs have joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) without any conditions. Addressing a press conference along with BJP state unit president Sadanant Shet Tanawade, Sawant said the strength of the BJP in the 40-member assembly has increased to 28 after the arrival of eight MLAs.

I welcome the 8 MLAs who have joined BJP today… Congress started the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', but I think 'Congress Chhodo Yatra' started in Goa. People from across the country are leaving Congress & joining BJP: Goa CM Pramod Sawant https://t.co/J3oBgfKQr6 pic.twitter.com/poK8WAqsae

— ANI (@ANI) September 14, 2022

“With today’s developments, the BJP has the support of 33 MLAs (including two from Maharashtra Gomantak Party and three Independents),” Sawant said. Congress MLAs have joined BJP without any condition. He expressed confidence that the BJP would also win the second Lok Sabha seat in Goa in the next elections. In Goa’s two Lok Sabha seats, one seat is with the BJP while the other is with the Congress. He said, in the 2024 elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will become the Prime Minister again with the support of more than 400 MPs.

The Congress has got this setback at a time when the party under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi is taking out the India Jodo Yatra from Tamil Nadu to Jammu and Kashmir. In such a situation, leaving the party of Ghulam Nabi Azad and then the breakdown of 8 MLAs has dealt him a blow. The Congress has 11 MLAs while the BJP has 20 MLAs in the 40-member Goa Legislative Assembly.