Congress stakes claim to form government in Goa as CM Manohar Parrikar undergoes treatment at AIIMS

The Congress along with its 14 MLAs, submitted a letter at Raj Bhavan.

PANAJI: The Congress, along with its 14 MLAs, on Monday staked claim to form a government in Goa. The party submitted a letter at Raj Bhavan on Monday. However, there has been no meeting between the Governor and the party MLAs yet. Congress party has 16 MLAs in the state.

"We have submitted two memorandums and requested that a situation to undergo election within 18 months should not arise. People elected us for 5 years. If the present government is not capable to function, we should be given the chance, we'll do it,"    Congress Legislature Party chief Chandrakant Kavlekar said on Monday.

"We are the single largest party, we should've been given the chance earlier. See how the government is functioning today. We have numbers so we're staking claim," Kavlekar said.

Submitted 2 memorandums&requested that situation to undergo election within 18 months shouldn't arise. People elected us for 5 yrs. If present govt is not capable to function, we should be given the chance, we'll do it: Chandrakant Kavlekar,Congress Legislature Party Chief #Goa pic.twitter.com/jQgVITudx9 — ANI (@ANI) September 17, 2018

The Goa Pradesh Congress Committee had on Sunday appealed to Goa Governor Mridula Sinha to give the Congress party an opportunity to form a stable government in the state.

"The Congress has never hesitated to play the role of a constructive and effective opposition, but we will not hesitate to come forward and take responsibility to form a government. We have already cautioned Honourable Governor Her Excellency Dr Mridula Sinha about a possible ploy by the BJP to fraudulently impose President`s Rule in Goa, through the back door," thhe Congress had said in a statement on Sunday.

Requesting for a chance to form a 'stable government' in Goa, Congress criticised the CM for not handing over the charge of the administration to any of his cabinet colleagues in his absence. The Congress further claimed that the greed for power of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies has been exposed.

"We would also like to remind the people of Goa, that their well-being is the last thing on the minds of the ruling political parties who are unleashing the ugly game of power and clamouring for their benefit. The greed for power of the BJP and its allies is exposed to the fact that they can`t even give charge to a trusted lieutenant in the absence of CM," the statement said.

Accusing the BJP of creating a mess in Goa over last 16 months, the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee said: "No one in Goa is Happy, BJP is not happy, Allies are not Happy, the people of Goa are unhappy, bureaucrats and Govt officers are unhappy, even CM and ministers are unhappy. This happens when you don't respect people's mandate. BJP and its allies should take up the responsibility for this mess created in Goa over the last 16 months," it added.

Parrikar was rushed to the AIIMS in Delhi on Saturday after his health deteriorated. He underwent treatment at a US hospital earlier this year and went back again on August 10 for a follow-up. He returned to India on August 22, but was later admitted to a private hospital in Mumbai the next day due to health complications. He had to be taken back to the US on August 29 midnight. He returned to India but was on September 15 admitted to AIIMS after he complained of health issues. The Goa CM is suffering from a pancreatic ailment.