Amid crisis in Goa Congress, CM Pramod Sawant says ‘BJP has…’

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New Delhi: As Congress stares at a political crisis in Goa, state Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday (July 12) denied BJP’s role in the “rebellion” by the grand old party’s MLAs. “Let me reiterate that the BJP has nothing to do with the rebellion in the Congress Legislature Party,” PTI quoted the Goa CM as saying. Sawant made the remarks outside the Assembly complex when asked about developments in the Goa Congress.

After the rebellion in Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, speculations of a split arose in Goa Congress after five of the total 11 party MLAs– Michael Lobo, Digambar Kamat, Kedar Naik, Rajesh Faldesai and Delialah Lobo– went incommunicado on Sunday. Congress chief Sonia Gandhi immediately dispatched senior party leader Mukul Wasnik to Goa in the wake of the development.  

The Congress also accused Lobo and former chief minister Digambar Kamat of "conspiring and hobnobbing" with the ruling BJP in the state to cause a split in the party's legislative wing. As a consequence, Congress also removed Lobo from the post of leader of opposition in the Goa Assembly.

However, these Congress MLAs attended the monsoon session of the Goa Assembly on Monday, claiming there was "nothing wrong" in the grand old party. Ten Congress MLAs were also present at a meeting chaired by Wasnik in Panaji on Monday night.

Lobo, who was removed from the LoP post, clarified that he was with the Congress and there was a “misunderstanding.” “All the Congress MLAs are with the party. I had told them that I didn't want to continue as the leader of opposition because I would not be able to do justice to the post,” he said, adding that Digambar Kamat or Sankalp Amonkar can be elected for the post. 

(With agency inputs)