PANJIM: Hours after BJP on Sunday evening staked claim to form a government, Congress in a late night development communicated to Goa Governor Mridula Sinha that the party, being the single largest, has the requisite support of MLAs and hence should be allowed to form the next government. It has also approached the Supreme Court with a petition against the Governor’s order inviting Manohar Parrikar to form the government.
In a letter to the Governor’s office sent at 1.50am on Monday, Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Chandrakant (Babu) Kavalekar said that any invitation to the BJP to form the government, without first giving an opportunity to the single largest party would militate against the essential democratic rights of the people of the State who have chosen INC as the single largest party.
“We wish to assure you that we have the requisite support of the majority of the legislature and are in position to prove the same on the Floor of the House,” Kavalekar said, adding that as per well established Constitutional convention and propriety, the single largest party is invited to form the government and prove its majority in the Assembly.
He pointed out that BJP, despite losing the mandate of the people, has tried to misrepresent to the Governor’s office that they enjoy the majority support of the legislators. “This is not only opportunism at its lowest but is also not constitutionally permissible,” the CLP leader said.
Kavalekar said that any post poll alliance of the kind being projected by BJP to seek the first invitation to form the government would defeat the mandate of the people, which has categorically rejected the incumbent government of the BJP.
In another development, Congress has moved the Supreme Court against Governor Mridula Sinha’s decision to invite Parrikar to form the next government.
CJI Jagdish Khehar has agreed to set up a special bench for hearing the petition on Tuesday morning despite the court being closed for Holi.
Speaking to Herald, Kavalekar said, “Yes we have moved the Supreme Court against the Governor’s order to call BJP to form the government.”
He said the Congress was the single largest party and hence should have been given first chance to form the government. “It is constitutionally wrong to invite BJP first,” Kavalekar said.
