Panaji: Eight Goa Congress MLAs, led by Michael Lobo and former chief minister Digambar Kamat, joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday.
Ahead of joining the BJP, eight Congress MLAs, including former Goa CM Digambar Kamat and Leader of Opposition Michael Lobo met with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant at the Assembly Complex.
The eight MLAs who met with CM Sawant are Digambar Kamat, Michael Lobo, Delilah Lobo, Rajesh Phaldesai, Kedar Naik, Sankalp Amonkar, Aleixo Sequeira, and Rudolf Fernandes.
“We have joined BJP to strengthen the hands of PM Modi & CM Pramod Sawant…Congress chhodo, BJP ko jodo” later said the former Congress MLA, Michael Lobo.
The development came amid the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra, which is being held to combat the BJP-led Centre and awaken the country’s people to the dangers of economic inequalities, social polarisation, and political centralization.
According to reports, the eight have started the formalities to inform the Speaker of their “voluntary” decision. The Speaker is expected to arrive in Goa only later today.
Goa has a history of defections and individuals changing parties having created a record for having thirteen chief ministers in 12 years between 1989 and 2000.
During the previous term of the Legislative Assembly, 10 MLAs merged with the BJP while 27 MLAs jumped ship from the party on whose ticket they were elected.
(With Agency Inputs)
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