Goa Speaker accepts merger of Congress CLP into BJP: Bought like cattle, says Vijai

PANAJI: The Goa Assembly Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar on Thursday said he had accepted the merger of the state Congress Legislature Party (CLP) into the ruling BJP.

He went through a letter submitted by Congress MLAs and found that they have required numbers, he told reporters.

Eight out of 11 Congress MLAs on Wednesday passed a resolution to merge the legislature party into the BJP.

On Wednesday, 8 Congress MLAs led by former chief minister Digambar Kamat and Leader of Opposition Michael Lobo, Siolim MLA Delilah Lobo, Cumbhurjua MLA Rajesh Phaldesai, Saligao MLA Kedar Naik, Sankalp Amonkar, Aleixo Sequeira and Rudolf Fernandes joined the BJP in the presence of Goa CM Pramod Sawant.

The saffron party now has 33 MLAs in the 40-member Assembly.

Meanwhile, Goa Forward Party boss, MLA Vijai Sardesai, which was the Congress’s ally in the last elections speaking to media persons said, “The MLAs were purchased like sacks of rice and they have allowed the BJP to purchase, how one purchases cattle.”

“These MLAs have destroyed democracy and sentiments of the public. They had pledged before all religious places (that they will not leave Congress party) and now this betrayal of people is witnessed by all. These MLAs have no future. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has failed in all aspects and he wants to run government by purchasing MLAs,” he added.