In a boost to the BJP, two Congress MLA, who resigned from the Goa Assembly, are set to join the saffron party amid its vigorous efforts to strengthen the thin majority of its alliance government in the state.
The two MLAs, Subhash Shirodkar and Dayanand Sopte, met BJP president Amit Shah on Tuesday and later said they will be joining the party.
With this, the Congress' strength in the 40-member Assembly reduced to 14 from 16.
"Congress legislators Subhash Shirodkar and Dayanand Sopte faxed their resignations as members of the Assembly to my office. We have received their resignations," Goa Assembly Speaker Pramod Sawant tol PTI.
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Sopte, 54, represented the Mandrem Assembly constituency in North Goa district and Shirodkar, 66, was elected from the Shiroda in South Goa district.
Goa was witnessing hectic political activity against the backdrop of the ill-health of Chief minister Manohar Parrikar. He is currently being treated by doctors from state-run Goa Medical College and Hospital at his private residence at Dona Paula near here.
Prior to the resignations of Sopte and Shirodkar, the Congress was the single largest party in the state Assembly with 16 MLAs.In the 40-member Goa Assembly, the Parrikar government has the support of 23 MLAs.
These comprise 14 BJP MLAs, three each from the Goa Forward Party and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party as well as three Independents.
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PTI
