Cong-BJP tug of war over Goa, Manipur escalates, rocks Parliament

The Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday clashed over government formation in Goa and Manipur with the opposition party accusing its rival of ‘stealing’ the mandate of people using money power, drawing a sharp reaction that it complains ‘a bit too much’.

Crying foul, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi joined the chorus of party leaders denouncing the BJP, accusing the saffron party of ‘undermining democracy’ in Goa and Manipur by use of money power. The Congress emerged as the single largest party ahead of BJP in the two states in the assembly polls.

Gandhi also alleged that the Goa Governor acted in a ‘partisan’ manner.

Dismissing the accusation of the Congress that BJP was ‘stealing’ the mandate in Goa, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said it’s ‘a bit too much’ as the governor could not have invited minority of 17 MLAs to form the government.

Besides BJP’s 13 MLAs, three each from the Maharashtravadi Gomantak Party and Goa Forward Party and two independent members have pledged support for government formation under Parrikar taking the total number to 21 in a Hose of 40.

The Congress is the single largest party with 17 MLAs.

‘The Congress Party complains a bit too much. It accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of ‘stealing’ the mandate in Goa. It unsuccessfully petitioned before the Supreme Court. It attempted to raise issues in the Lok Sabha,’ Jaitley said in a Facebook post.

“When there is clear alliance of 21 MLAs who appeared in person before governor, how could Congress be invited to form the government (sic),” Jaitley later said in a media interaction.

“There is no reason for the governor to call the Congress to form a government in Goa as the BJP had given letters of support of 21 MLAs,” Jaitley said, adding that Congress’ 17 MLAs had not even chosen a leader or staked claim for forming a government in Goa.

Meanwhile, the Congress and its partners in the United Progressive Alliance staged a walkout in the Lok Sabha during Question Hour to protest over government formation by the BJP in Goa and Manipur despite it having the numbers.

The Congress again walked out during Zero Hour.

Members of the Congress, the Nationalist Congress Party and the Rashtriya Janata Dal first raised the issue during Question Hour.

Congress leader in the House Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that democracy is being murdered.

Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu questioned the Congress protest on the issue of government formation in Manipur and Goa and said the ‘party has no moral right to do so’.

In Manipur, the BJP, which is the second largest party behind incumbent Congress, has claimed that it enjoyed the support of 32 MLAs in the 60-member assembly.

“They are saying that it is okay for them to misuse the office of the Governor... In the two states where we won, democracy has been undermined by them (BJP) using financial power, money. That is what is happening. The mandate of the people of Goa and Manipur has been stolen by the BJP,” Rahul told reporters outside Parliament.

Speaking out for the first time after the results of the elections to five states were declared on March 11, Rahul said, “Our fight with the BJP is an ideological fight. What the BJP has done in Manipur and Goa is their ideology -- and that is what we are fighting.”

“It is a question of how much the BJP has thrown to steal the mandate of people of Manipur and Goa. That is the question. It is not about how soon they went, but with how much money the BJP gave to steal the mandate of Goa and Manipur,” Rahul said on queries as to why Congress ‘delayed’ staking claim for government formation.

Alleging that the Goa Governor acted in a ‘partisan’ manner, he said a letter was issued in favour of Manohar Parrikar even before the Congress staked its claim.

“(Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun) Kharge ji showed me a letter of the governor appointing Mr Parrikar as the chief minister before any floor test or anything happened. So it is difficult for us to stake claim if the Governor is already acting in a partisan manner,” he said.

With its moves failing to yield results, the Congress took all its 17 MLAs to Goa Governor Mridula Sinha, seeking an opportunity to prove majority in the assembly but could not elicit any assurance from her.

IMAGE: Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge speaks in the Lok Sabha. Photograph: PTI Photo