Team Herald
PANJIM: Adding three seats to its tally in the Legislative Assembly, Bharatiya Janata Party is now sitting pretty with 17 MLAs in the House of 40. The victories in the by-election have strengthened the Pramod Sawant-led government weeding out the inherent instability, which prevailed due to the fractured 2017 mandate.
While the loss in Panjim would have been painful for the BJP cadres; the victories in Mandrem, Shiroda and Mapusa would have acted as a balm to this bruise. Victories in three out of the four constituencies that went for by-elections, gives it the mandate that the party missed out on after the 2017 Assembly elections.
“Government stability is confirmed. We are strong now and there is no more question of instability in the future. We will complete the remaining three years very smoothly,” Sawant said, after the results were announced. Besides its 17 MLAs, the government has the support of three GFP members and three Independents. MGP, with a single MLA in the Assembly, is yet to withdraw support to the government.
From abroad, Goa Forward Party president and Deputy Chief Minister Vijai Sardesai tweeted congratulating Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Sawant said, “The alliance partners are united and we will ensure strong stable government for the next three years. There is no threat to government as our strength in the House is now 23 along with allies.”
BJP, however, is aware that GFP and Independent MLA Rohan Khaunte did not work for the party for the by-elections nor in Lok Sabha polls. This has upset the party.
“We are aware that except for Govind Gaude, none of our allies worked for us. We were expecting this. But what hurts is that despite assuring (late) Manohar Parrikar to ensure stability of the government, they were hoping for some development to happen in this by-election to destabilise the government,” a senior BJP leader said.
It is learnt that the BJP high command, including BJP national president Amit Shah, has taken note of this.
The by-election victories have given BJP the upper hand, leaving the coalition partners with lesser bargaining powers. GFP may have got the Deputy Chief Minister’s post, but BJP now definitely wields the upper hand.
The speculation that there could be attempts to destabilise the government after May 23, can now be rested. During the campaign Congress candidate Atanasio Babush Monserrate had promised a Congress government in Goa on May 24. Though he has won, the allies will be unlikely to change sides now, not after the massive NDA victory.
