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BJP demands President's rule in Goa

Sandesh Prabhudesai in Panjim

The Bharatiya Janata Party has demanded dissolution of the Goa Legislative Assembly and imposition of President's rule in the state following the resignation of Chief Minister Luizinho Faleiro.

Former chief minister Dr Wilfred de Souza, who had earlier staked his claim to power with the support of the Opposition, including the BJP, is yet to approach Governor J F R Jacob, though the governor had asked him to stake a fresh claim after Faleiro resigned.

Changing the party's earlier decision to support de Souza, BJP spokesman Manohar Parrikar, MLA, said he is sceptical about the Goa Rajiv Congress politician's intention to dissolve the House on taking over.

Further, he pointed out, Dr de Souza's supporters include one Congressman [Deu Mandrekar] facing disqualification and another Independent [John Manuel Vaz] who has switched sides too often to be relied upon. Faleiro's Congress government collapsed in less than 75 days because of these two legislators.

This afternoon, the BJP handed over a letter to Governor Jacob saying it would prefer a fresh election to the state assembly by June.

"The current assembly has lost all its sanctity and therefore no government has a right to rule the state... In order to achieve a level-playing field, the reins of the state should be taken over by the President," the letter said.

All 18 Congress legislators also gave letters to Governor Jacob this afternoon saying they would have no objection to dissolution of the House.

The BJP, therefore, urged the governor to immediately put the assembly in a state of suspended animation to prevent further horse-trading.

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