BJP threatens to parade Parrikar and party before President

New Delhi, July 27 (UNI) The Bharatiya Janata Party today threatened that it would bring all the 21 MLAs owing allegiance to the Goa Democratic Alliance under former chief minister Manohar Parrikar for parade before President Pratibha Patil if there was any delay in inviting him to form the Government in the state.

The Kamat government was in minority and the Goa Democratic Alliance had the support of 21 MLAs in the 38-member House. There should now be no delay in inviting Mr Parrikar to form a government, BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

He said when the Congress-led coalition was invited to form the Government, it had the support of 21 MLAs. ''Now the Goa Democratic Alliance has the support of 21 MLAs. Where is the hitch to invite it for forming a government?'' he said.

Earlier, BJP president Rajnath Singh charged the Congress with playing "Jharkhand and Bihar-like" tricks, resorting to delaying tactics, to save their government. "We will not allow them to succeed in their nefarious designs," he said.

The Congress-led coalition government in Goa was reduced to a minority after five legislators belonging to MGP, SGF, UGDP and Independent Salgaocar withdrew support to the Digambar Kamat Government yesterday and formed the Goa Democratic Alliance with the support of 14 BJP legislators.

BJP president Rajnath Singh asserted that, if need be, Mr Parikkar along with the legislators, would parade before President Pratibha Patil, if there was a "deliberate delay in asking Mr Kamat to prove his majority on the floor of the House.'' Governor S C Jamir who had come here to attend the swearing in of President Pratibha Patil on July 25 had been prolonging his stay in Delhi.

The 21 legislators had already faxed their letters of support to Mr Parrikar and formation of new coalition under him as its leader to the Governor's office.

He hoped that Governor Jamir would maintain the dignity of the office and not allow it to be misused for political purposes.

The BJP spokesman criticised the manner in which the Congress legislators forced adjournment of the House yesterday.

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UNI