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More MLAs want o join BJP: Parrikar

The political crisis in Goa has precipitated with Chief Minister Francisco Sardinha refusing to step down after the Bharatiya Janata Party, his coalition partner, on Sunday formally withdrew support to his 11-month old government.

"I can muster a majority of 22 on the floor of the House," said Sardinha, who air-dashed from Australia, where he been on a tour, on Sunday afternoon. The minimum requirement to form a government is 21 in the 40-member House.

Sardinha dismissed rumour that four of his colleagues are planning to join the BJP. He accused the BJP of backstabbing him. "They came with a bad intention and showed their real colours when the time came," he said.

On the other hand, BJP leader Manohar Parrikar claims that more legislators want to join the party. "Four more legislators have also approached us to join the BJP," says Parrikar while declining to disclose their affiliations. If they join the BJP bandwagon, defectors would make up 12 of the 22-member group.

Parrikar counters Sardinha's allegation of being power-hungry claiming that the BJP had only three ministers while everyone of the 11-member Sardinha group is a cabinet minister.

Sardinha had met Governor Mohammed Fazal requesting him to convene a session within five days for the floor test. "I need some time since I was not here all these days," he told the journalists before leaving for Raj Bhavan. The governor has convened the House on October 24.

The 18-member strong BJP (with the induction of eight entrants from the two splinter groups of the Congress) group also met the governor along with three other legislators belonging to two parties.

They have requested the governor to convene a session by October 24, taking into account Diwali festivities beginning from the 25th. The special session would decide Sardinha's fate.

"Independent legislator Isidore Fernandes will also support us," claims BJP leader Manohar Parrikar, who is tipped to be the next chief minister. Fernandes, however, has said he would support any government that comes to power.

While all the three BJP ministers formally resigned on Sunday by personally handing over resignation letters to the governor, the party also staked claim to form the government.

Two members of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and Suresh Parulekar, the sole remaining legislator of the Congress (SH) after his four colleagues joined the BJP, also submitted letters to the governor supporting the BJP.

Besides this, four more Congressmen led by opposition leader Ravi Naik had split and joined the BJP on Saturday. It includes former Union minister Ramakant Khalap who has defected for the second time in the last one year.

Information Technology Minister Pramod Mahajan is arriving in Panjm on Monday to work out the modalities of government formation.

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