Weeks ahead of elections, Goa minister, legislator quit BJP

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 10

Less than a month to go for the Goa elections scheduled for February 14, minister Michael Lobo and BJP legislator Pravin Zantye on Monday resigned from the party and the legislative Assembly hinting at parleys with the Congress.

Congress ex-MLA Masood joins SP

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Former Congress MLA Imran Masood, along with his supporters, joined the SP on Monday. “The SP is the only party that can challenge the BJP in Uttar Pradesh. I have said from Day one that I will work to defeat the BJP,” he said. TNS

Moments after the two resigned, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said a few defections here and there could not undermine the BJP in the state. “The BJP is a big family that continues to serve the motherland with full devotion. A few defections to fulfil the agenda of greed and personal interests cannot deter our agenda of good governance. Goan people have seen BJP’s governance and development model for a decade and I am sure that they will give us another term in their service. Jai Hind, Jai Goa,” Sawant tweeted with Goa BJP chief Sadanand Tanavade too underplaying Lobo’s exit as just another “opportunistic defection”.

Lobo, an MLA from the Calangute Assembly segment, was the Goa port and waste management minister. Earlier today, he tendered a resignation to the CMO and the Goa Assembly Speaker.

Asked about the future plans, Lobo said he was in talks with other political parties. “The people of Goa are extremely disenchanted with the BJP. Voters have told me that the BJP is no more a party of commoners. Grass-roots workers have been sidelined,” said Lobo.

Zantye, who represents the Mayem segment in the state Assembly, also resigned citing lack of appreciation for grounded workers in the BJP.

He said he had joined the BJP on the insistence of late Union Minister Manohar Parrikar. “After his demise, I have felt progressively sidelined in the party,” said Zantye.

The two are likely to join the Congress which has so far announced 15 candidates for the 40-member Goa Assembly, and has announced a pre-poll alliance with the Goa Forward Party led by Vijay Sardesai.

Sardesai, former deputy CM in Goa, had quit the BJP government in July 2019 after being dropped from the Cabinet along with two supporters.