BJP confident of winning floor test in Goa Assembly

Panaji: The BJP today welcomed the Supreme Court's decision to not stay the swearing-in of Manohar Parrikar as Goa Chief Minister, and claimed it will be able to prove majority on the floor of the House.

"We have the numbers to form the government. We have more than 21 MLAs with us with the support of alliance partners," Goa BJP unit General Secretary Sadanand Tanawade told reporters here.

The apex court today refused to stay the swearing-in of Parrikar as Goa CM and ordered a floor test on March 16.

A bench headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar directed that the Assembly session be called at 11 AM on March 16 and made it clear that the only business of the House would be the holding of floor test after swearing-in of the members.

He said the Goa Forward Party, the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and two independents have supported the BJP to form the government led by Parrikar.

"There is no question of losing on the floor of the House," Tanawade said.
Parrikar is scheduled to be sworn-in the Chief Minister of the coastal state this evening.

BJP MLA from Mapusa Francis D'Souza said that the Congress does not have required number of legislators to form government in the state.
"Why did they even approach the Supreme Court when they didn't have the numbers?" he asked.

The BJP is confident of forming the next government in Goa, D'Souza said.

In the 40-member House, the Congress has 17 seats followed by BJP which has 13. The Goa Forward Party and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) have three seats each, the NCP has one seat and there are three independents.