Congress stakes claim to form govt in Goa

Panaji: On a day when reports suggested that ailing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s condition has worsened, the Congress in Goa on Saturday staked claim to form the government in the coastal state. In a letter addressed to Goa Governor Mridula Sinha, Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar said that the Parrikar-led coalition government is in a minority and its numbers may “dwindle”. He demanded that she dismiss the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led dispensation and invite the Congress — the single-largest party in the state Assembly — to form the government.

“Consequent upon the sad demise of Francis D’Souza, MLA, who belonged to the BJP, it is humbly submitted that the incumbent BJP-led state government under the leadership of Manohar Parrikar, which has long lost the trust of the people and now also lost strength in the House,” Kavlekar said in the letter. “Also, we anticipate that numbers of the BJP may further dwindle,” he wrote to the Governor requesting that such minority government be not allowed to continue even for a moment.

“It is, therefore, incumbent upon you to dismiss the state government led by the BJP to ensure that the Indian National Congress, which is the single-largest party in the august House and is presently enjoying the majority, be called to form government,” Kavlekar said. Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) was forced to issue a statement claiming that the health of Parrikar, who is being treated at his private residence for advanced pancreatic cancer, is “stable”, after media reports said that his health conditions has worsened. (IANS)

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