Goa: Congress Sacks Michael Lobo as Leader of Oppn For 'Hatching Defections With BJP'

The Congress on Sunday dismissed Michael Lobo as the Leader of the Opposition in the Goa assembly for allegedly trying to engineer defections in cahoots with the ruling BJP. At a press conference, AICC Goa in-charge Dinesh Gundu Rao said that a “conspiracy was hatched by some of our own leaders with the BJP” to weaken the party and “engineer defections”. “This conspiracy was led by two of our own leaders — LoP Michael Lobo and Digambar Kamat.”

Kamat is the former chief minister of Goa and was also the CM nominee during the elections held earlier this year.

“Michael Lobo immediately removed from the position of Leader of Opposition of Goa,” Rao said, adding that a new leader will be elected. “Whatever action has to be taken by law against this kind of defection and anti-party work, will follow. Let’s see how many people will stay/move. Five of our MLAs are here, we’re in touch with some more MLAs and they’ll be along with us,” he claimed.

Rao, who earlier in the day dismissed the talks of defection as mere rumours, accused Kamat and Lobo of internal sabotage and “working in total coordination with BJP.” “Both these people had been working in total coordination with BJP. One person — Digambar Kamat — did it to safeguard his own skin because so many cases are against him and the other person — Michael Lobo — for the sake of power and position. BJP wants to finish the opposition,” Rao said.

Further alleging that BJP was trying for a two-third split to see that a minimum of eight Congress MLAs leave the party, Rao said, “Many of our people have been offered huge amounts of money. I’m shocked at the amount offered. But our six MLAs stood firm, I’m proud of them.”

Meanwhile, moments after Lobo was dismissed, his wife Delilah Lobo was seen leaving the residence of Chief Minister and BJP leader Pramod Sawant.

Asked if Congress MLAs came to meet him, CM Sawant told ANI: “As CM, many people come to meet me. Tomorrow is Assembly (session), and people came to meet me regarding that. I am busy with my assembly work… Why will I comment on issues related to other parties?”

What led to the defection buzz?

There are currently 11 MLAs in Congress and there were speculations that a few of them might switch over to the ruling BJP. The speculations began doing the rounds since BJP national general secretary and the party’s state in-charge, C T Ravi, had said in May that the BJP, which has 20 MLAs and formed the government with the support of five others, will have 30 MLAs by the end of the year.

In order to evade the anti-defection law, eight MLAs need to leave Congress.

The Congress action comes on the eve of the two-week monsoon session of the assembly that is starting on Monday. Earlier on Sunday, refuting talks of defections, Goa Congress chief Amit Patkar said that such rumours were being spread by the BJP.

The Congress on July 4 had asked the Goa Assembly speaker not to curtail the monsoon session as it was a possibility with the BJP- government in the state giving the excuse of panchayat polls, scheduled on August 10. The model code of conduct will come into force on July 20.

Meanwhile, Goa Assembly Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar on Sunday cancelled the notification for election to the post of deputy speaker, which was scheduled for July 12. The order, issued by Legislature Secretary Namrata Ulman, informed the July 8 notification under Rule 308 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of the Goa Legislative Assembly stands withdrawn. “Hence, the notice of nomination for election of deputy speaker issued under 9(2) of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of the Goa Legislative Assembly stands withdrawn as well,” the order further said.

(With PTI inputs)

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