PANJIM: The resignations of the two Congress MLAs has not changed the number game in the Goa Legislative Assembly.

The resignations means that Congress, which had 17 MLAs after the 2017 Assembly polls, has been reduced to 14 and has lost the number game, can no longer claim to have more MLAs than the BJP. The resignations also mean that the strength of the 40-member Goa 

Legislative Assembly has come down to 38, which means the magic figure to prove a majority on the floor of the House has come down to 20.

The State Assembly now comprises 14 BJP, 14 Congress, 3 MGP, 3 Goa Forward, 1 NCP and 3 Independent MLAs.

However, with three BJP MLAs – CM Manohar Parrikar, MLAs Francis D’Souza and Pandurang Madkaikar – sick, the numbers still remain a vague question mark.

What BJP hopes is that the defection of two or three Congress MLAs will deter the allies and Independents from changing sides. The party is even prepared to dissolve the Assembly and force fresh elections but it won’t allow power to shift to the hands of the Congress.

However, AICC secretary A Chellakumar, in charge of Goa affairs, claimed on Tuesday that the party will stake claim to form the government. He indicated that the two allies of the BJP and the Independents will come to the Congress if there is a leadership change in the BJP.