Team Herald
PANJIM: Even a week after the formation of the Dr Pramod Sawant government, political developments do not appear to die down as BJP is still attempting to increase its tally in the House ahead of the by-polls.
However, the BJP’s plans to facilitate defections from the opposition party, as well as from their very own alliance partner, appears to have almost met a dead end.
The BJP had engineered a major coup on the MGP, an alliance partner of BJP, on March 18, when two of the regional outfits MLAs – Tourism Minister Manohar (Babu) Azgaonkar and Dipak Pawaskar, almost split just ahead of the Sawant government formation.
Reliable sources said that even after the formation of government, on March 22, the two MLAs were to submit a letter claiming a split in the party and the merging into the BJP but to their or saffron brigade’s bad luck acting Speaker Michael Lobo was in Dubai. The BJP immediately called the acting Speaker back.
Sources said that the BJP was also in talks with Congress’ Canacona MLA Isidore Fernandes but had to wait till Monday for the Speaker’s return.
Sources said as asked, Lobo flew back to Goa on Monday but the MGP MLAs as well as the Congress MLA seem to have changed their minds. “The MGP MLAs are bargaining for a better deal and so are other MLAs from the Congress,” sources revealed.
Sources also said that MGP’s drastic action on former general secretary Lavoo Mamledar appears to have also been the game changer.
Meanwhile, Fernandes rubbished the speculation that he has plans to join the BJP. There was speculation on Monday suggesting that the Canacona MLA would quit Congress and join the BJP.
Speaking to Herald, Fernandes said, “I am very much in Canacona and I have no intention to join the BJP. What you are asking is news to me.” He said the reports were baseless and were intended to malign his image.
