BJP Stakes Claim To Form Government In Goa Under Manohar Parrikar
With the support of smaller parties, BJP has the support of 22 MLAs versus Congress’ 17.
Stealing a march on the Congress, the Bharatiya Janata Party led by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar staked claim to form the next government in Goa under his leadership, with the support of the Nationalist Congress Party, smaller outfits and independents.
Parrikar will be the chief minister of the coalition government. He called upon Governor Mridula Sinha in the evening with the letters of support from three members each of the Goa Forward Party (GFP), the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), two independents and lone Nationalist Congress Party member of the legislative assembly, taking the tally of the coalition to 22.
With this, the BJP which won 13 seats, has cobbled up the requisite number needed to reach the magic figure in the 40-member house which had thrown up a hung verdict, though the Congress has emerged the single largest party with 17 seats.
Parrikar will resign as the defence minister before taking oath as chief minister of Goa.Nitin Gadkari, BJP’s Election In-Charge For Goa
The MGP leader Sudin Dhavalikar said his party has supported the BJP on the condition that only Parrikar heads the state government. "We are supporting BJP to have stability in the government. We don't want development of the state to hinder due to instability," he said.
State party unit chief Vinay Tendulkar said, "The BJP central leadership has agreed on Parrikar to head the BJP legislature wing following which the decision to stake claim to form government was taken."