Team Herald

PANJIM/ NEW DELHI: In a major setback to the Congress, two senior MLAs, including a former State Congress chief, quit the party on Tuesday and joined the ruling BJP, reducing the Congress strength to 14 bringing it at par with the BJP in the 40-member Assembly.

Former Goa Congress president and former minister Subhash Shirodkar and two-term MLA Dayanand Sopte air-dashed to New Delhi late Monday night and resigned Tuesday afternoon, after meeting BJP national president Amit Shah.

Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane, who had defected to the BJP after winning the 2017 Assembly polls on a Congress ticket, orchestrated the coup. He, however, failed to persuade his father and former chief minister Pratapsingh Rane to enter the BJP fold.

After meeting the BJP national president the duo sent their resignations to Speaker Pramod Sawant at 12.50 pm. Sawant confirmed the duo had resigned. 

“I received resignations from two Congress MLAs Dayanand Sopte and Subash Shirodkar. They confirmed they are doing it willingly, without any pressure. I accepted their resignation and process will be completed soon and copies will be sent to all the members of the House Governor and the Election Commission,” Sawant said.

He further said that his office has informed the Election Commission (EC) and it is up to them as to when the by-poll would be conducted.

Inducted in BJP

Hours after the resignations, the duo was formally inducted into the party by Union Minister Piyush Goyal at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi.

Besides Goyal, Union AYUSH Minister Shripad Naik, BJP State president Vinay Tendulkar and Vishwajit Rane were present for the induction.

The new entrants said they have already resigned as MLAs and their resignations have been accepted by the Goa Assembly Speaker. 

Shirodkar claimed more defections are likely. He said both have been assured that they would be fielded on BJP tickets from their constituencies in the by-elections caused by their resignations.

“We have joined BJP today and expect 2-3 more MLAs to join in coming days,” Shirodkar told Herald, adding he resigned on development agenda. 

Sopte stated, “When people elect us they have some expectation, hope of development. What is the use of being in a position where you cannot help the people who elected you?” 

The development, coming at a time when the BJP is contemplating to replace ailing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, in view of his deteriorating health brought into focus the prospects of Union Minister Naik succeeding him.