Congress faces rebellion in Goa

Only woman MLA of the Congress Jennifer Monserrate said it was the fault of party leaders that despite getting people’s support they could not form the government.

Panaji, March 13: Goa Congress is witnessing rebellion as its newly elected MLAs are upset with the party's top leadership for failing to form the government despite being the single largest party in the recent assembly polls.

The Congress won 17 seats in Goa and the party was only four seat short of forming the government in the state as compared to the Bharatiya Janata Party which had won only 13 out of 40 assembly seats in the state.

Congress MLA Vishwajit Rane who won from the Valpoi constituency said, "I am very upset with the way our party leaders handled the situation after the (Goa Assembly poll) results, which gave us the first right -- as the single largest party -- to form the government. I feel let down at the functioning of the party leaders who could not take a decision at the right time."

The MLA was of the opinion that party leaders grossly mismanaged the situation and the delay in choosing the Congress Legislature party leader cost them the state. Once the fractured verdict for Goa assembly was announced Independent candidate Rohan Khaunte had extended his support to the Congress and informal talks were on with the three MLAs of the Goa Forward Party, however, the BJP won over the Congress when it came to getting support from the regional parties and Independent MLAs.

Only woman MLA of the Congress Jennifer Monserrate who won from Taleigao said that their party leaders had let them down and she said it was the fault of party leaders that despite getting people's support they could not form the government.

Senior Congress leader and MLA from Curtorim Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco echoed other MLAs views and said that it was no use blaming the BJP for forming the government when the Congress failed to get support. He said they were 17 in number and people wanted that the Congress form the government but the party failed to give people the government they had voted for.

Meanwhile All India Congress Committee General Secretary and in-charge of party affairs in Goa Digvijaya Singh said the he would talk to the Congress MLAs who have expressed displeasure. Digvijaya was quoted, "Let us see. I will talk to them. I will find out."

On Sunday, after the BJP presented its claim to for the new government in Goa, Digvijaya Singh had said that Manohar Parrikar had indulged in horse trading and hijacked the mandate which was in the favour of the Congress.

OneIndia News