‘Unfair to compare Goa government formation with Karnataka’

Panaji, May 16: A Goa BJP leader said on Wednesday it was not fair to compare the scenario in Karnataka with that of Goa over government formation even as comparisons have been drawn on the issue of post-poll alliances.

South Goa Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Narendra Savoikar made the remarks as political analysts as well as Congress leaders have drawn up comparisons between the Congress’ post-poll alliance with the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) to form the government in Karnataka, with a similar successful attempt by the BJP in Goa in March 2017.

“You cannot compare two states on one similar line. In fact, it differs from state to state and the scenario in Goa is different from what it is in Karnataka. So I think it is not proper on part of leadership to compare the situation in Goa at the relevant time and Karnataka at the present time,” he told reporters. The BJP had won 13 seats in the 2017 state assembly election compared to the 17 seats won by the Congress, which had emerged as the single largest party.

But after swift political manoeuvring, the BJP staked claimed to power with two regional parties and independent MLAs and formed its coalition government after getting the nod from Goa Governor Mridula Sinha. In Karnataka, the Congress appears to have given the BJP a taste of its own medicine. Despite the BJP emerging as the single largest party with 104 seats, the Congress (78) and Janata Dal-Secular (37) have cobbled together an alliance and have staked claim with the Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala to form a coalition government in the Southern state. (IANS)