Luizinho speaks out on why Cong failed to form govt

MARGAO: The failure on the part of the Congress to submit a letter to the Governor staking its claim to form the government resulted in the party not being invited to form the government in March last year despite emerging as the single largest party in the 2017 Assembly elections.

All India Congress Committee General Secretary Dr Chella Kumar said, “It was indeed unfortunate that the letter was not submitted to the Governor and added that even the Supreme Court pointed out to this lapse while dismissing the petition filed by the party challenging the Governor’s decision to invite the BJP-led coalition to form the government.

Former Chief Minister Luizinho Faleiro said, “As the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president then, he had prepared the letter to the Governor asking her to invite the Congress Party to form the government as it had emerged as the single largest party.”

“Actually, we had a simple majority, as we had two independent MLAs, who had extended support to the Congress along with one independent against whom we did not even field a candidate,” he said adding that along with Churchill Alemao and their 17 MLAs, the Congress had the magical figure of 21 MLAs.

“As the counting was delayed following the recounting and problems in Cuncolim constituency, the meeting of elected MLAs scheduled the same evening could not be held and hence the CLP leader could not be elected,” recalled Luizinho.

However, as GPCC president, he said, he had addressed a letter to the Governor, asking her to invite the Congress party to form the government and further informed her that the CLP leader would be elected the next day and accordingly communicated to her.

However, All India Congress Committee General Secretary Digvijay Singh asked Luizinho not to give the letter and reportedly said that the Governor would have to invite the single largest party to form the government.

Digvijay Singh also agreed with some MLAs, who were hopeful of getting the Goa Forward Party to support the Congress and thus take the ruling coalition’s strength to 24 instead of 21. The mentors negotiating with Vijai for the Congress were also hopeful about getting GFP to support the Congress.

“I feel suffocated that despite all my efforts many people believe that I was responsible for the Congress not forming the government,” he said, adding that he had even offered not to be the chief minister as some had said that Vijai will support the Congress only if Luizinho is not made the CLP leader.

“Even though most of the MLAs elected were supporting me to be the chief minister, I told them to do what they wanted best so that the Congress Party would form the government,” he said, adding that the secret ballot conducted with the MLAs the next day, had him polling the highest number of votes.

The next day while the Congress MLAs were waiting for Vijai to come with his two MLAs so that they could go to the Governor and stake its claim to form the government, the BJP which worked relentlessly in the night, turned the tables and changed the whole political situation in Goa where the party with the most MLAs had to sit in the Opposition.