Team Herald
PANJIM: Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) has knocked on the doors of the High Court of Bombay at Goa against its own coalition government over the recent induction of former Congress MLAs Subhash Shirodkar and Dayanand Sopte into the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The regional ally has sought the court’s intervention to direct the Election Commission of India (ECI) to disqualify both the leaders and quash and set aside the impugned order on October 16, 2018 whereby the Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly accepted the two leaders’ resignation.
“Speaker Pramod Sawant received the letters of resignation of Shirodkar and Sopte by fax and the fact that the Speaker accepted the same without any notice, either to Shirodkar or Sopte or to the Indian National Congress, shows that the Speaker has acted mechanically without any application of mind in furtherance of the intentions, machinations of the Bharatiya Janata Party,” the writ petition states, alleging Sawant’s allegiance to BJP despite being the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.
The petitioners Satyawan Palkar and Vikas Prabhu also alleged that the resignation by the two MLAs was immoral and its acceptance by the Speaker unconstitutional. As such, they have urged the High Court to quash and set aside the order accepting their resignation.
The petitioners have also sought directions to the ECI to send recommendations to the government as well as the Law Commission of India seeking amendment to the anti-defection law whereby if members of Parliament, Legislative Assemblies or Councils resign from the membership without justifiable reasons they should be disqualified from contesting fresh elections and/or occupying any public posts for a period of six years.
The 21-page petition states that Shirodkar and Sopte should also be restrained from contesting the by-polls.
“During the pendency of the present petition, both should be restrained from occupying and functioning as the Chairmen of EDC Ltd and Goa Tourism Development Corporation as well as from accepting any remuneration, either directly or indirectly in the form of reimbursement or otherwise from any of these Corporations,” the petition adds.
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Withdraw support, Congress tells MGP
Soon after MGP filed a petition in the High Court seeking the disqualification of Subash Shirodkar and Dayanand Sopte, the Congress advised the oldest regional outfit to withdraw support to the government.
“We welcome the MGP move and appreciate their stand. But, moreover, I feel it is time for MGP to withdraw support to the government,” GPCC president Girish Chodankar said on Tuesday.
Chodankar said that Congress is also looking at options to be party to the MGP Writ Petition in the High Court.
Congress’ senior leader Pratapsingh Rane expressed similar sentiments and demanded a strong legislation for defections without valid reason. “Once you accept ideology of a political party one cannot be like a chameleon and change it,” Rane said adding, “I think there is a need for such legislation against those who leave the party without valid reason.”
He said in a democracy one can always disagree but there has to be valid reason to leave the party and why one needs to move out.
“We welcome the MGP move and appreciate their stand. But, moreover, I feel it is time for MGP to withdraw support to the government,” GPCC president Girish Chodankar said on Tuesday.
Chodankar said that Congress is also looking at options to be party to the MGP Writ Petition in the High Court.
Congress’ senior leader Pratapsingh Rane expressed similar sentiments and demanded a strong legislation for defections without valid reason. “Once you accept ideology of a political party one cannot be like a chameleon and change it,” Rane said adding, “I think there is a need for such legislation against those who leave the party without valid reason.”
He said in a democracy one can always disagree but there has to be valid reason to leave the party and why one needs to move out.
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Three BJP leaders are terminally ill: MGP
In an embarrassment to the BJP, its ally MGP informed the High Court of Bombay at Goa that three BJP leaders, including Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar are terminally ill. The petitioners also exposed the BJP’s ‘politricks’ to retain the government.
“After the government formation, Parrikar has remained terminally ill and was hospitalised, abroad, in New Delhi as well as in Goa Medical College. Two other (former) ministers namely Francisco D’Souza and Pandurang Madkaikar have also remained terminally ill and hospitalised for almost a year. Another MLA Jose Luis Carlos Almeida, representing Vasco constituency from BJP also continues to be ill. With the sickness of the aforesaid elected representatives, the political situation in Goa continues to be fluid,” the petition, seeking disqualification of Shirodkar and Sopte states. “The political situation in Goa is such that four Members of the Legislative Assembly, representing Bharatiya Janata Party are terminally ill. None of them can attend the Assembly proceedings, even if convened,” the petition adds.
The MGP has stated how BJP tried to save the government by creating a fissure in the Congress. The petitioners claimed that the ruling coalition does not want power to be transferred to Congress at any cost for which, they have taken such steps, whereby Congress cannot claim majority and a right to form the government.
“When the Indian National Congress started making claims for formation of the government after approaching the higher Constitutional authorities, including the Governor, sensing that they may lose power, BJP made moves to effect and manage defections in the Congress,” it said citing the resignations of Shirodkar and Sopte. “The ruling BJP wants either to increase their number of seats in the Assembly or go for fresh elections,” the petitioners said.
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Vijai surprised at MGP move
Goa Forward Party president and TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai on Wednesday expressed surprise over MGP’s decision to move the High Court against former Congress MLAs Dayanand Sopte and Subash Shirodkar joining BJP.
“Though it is a shocking decision, it is a decision of the party and not individually of Sudin Dhavalikar, who is part of the government,” he said.
Sardesai says that if Dhavalikar is party to the decision it is a different story altogether. “What I feel is the decision could be pre-emptive rather than anything else,” he said without elaborating.
