Goa CM Manohar Parrikar sails through floor trust; upset Congress MLA Vishwajit Rane quits party

Panaji: Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Thursday won the critical trust vote in the legislature, with 22 MLAs backing his government and the Congress getting the support of 16 legislators.

On the other hand, the Congress suffered a jolt as its legislator Viswajit Rane resigned the membership of the Assembly, after refusing to vote against the trust motion defying the party whip.

After winning the vote, a jubilant Parrikar said the Congress never had the numbers on its side.

He said the Congress created the hype over the BJP's bid to form the government, because there was a demand for Digvijay Singh to step down as AICC general secretary in charge of the state.

"We have proved to the people of India that we have support of 23 on the floor of the House debunking Digvijay's claim that we don't have the numbers," he told mediapersons, as per PTI.

He was flanked by Goa Forward Party (GFP) leader Vijai Sardesai and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) MLA Sudin Dhavalikar, whose support sealed the deal in favour of the BJP, whose tally came down to 13 from 21 this time.

The 61-year-old CM proved his majority with 12 legislators from the BJP, three from the GFP, three from the MGP, three Independents and one from the NCP supporting the trust motion.

One BJP MLA was made the pro tem speaker.

The special Assembly session was convened to conduct the floor test following an order by the Supreme Court.

The test was passed through a clear division which was ordered by Pro-tem Speaker Siddharth Kuncolienkar.

Parrikar, who resigned as Defence Minister from the central cabinet earlier this week, was sworn-in as the chief minister along with nine other MLAs by Governor Mridula Sinha on March 14.

"Right from the beginning Congress did not have the numbers and it was only a hype created by them possibly because there was a demand coming that Digvijay should step down as General Secretary of the party, being the desk incharge of Goa," he claimed.

"It happens when you come to Goa only to enjoy, not to work," he quipped.

Parrikar also rubbished allegations of horse trading levelled by the Congress against the BJP.

"I think there are wild allegations being made. Those with coloured glasses make these allegations. We saw everyone (legislators) voluntarily came and voted," he said.

"None of them was kept in hotel or secluded or common place, as was the case with opposition," he further said.

Parrikar said the election of Assembly Speaker will be held on March 22, followed by Governor's address on March 23. The state Budget would be presented on March 24.

This is for the fourth time that Parrikar has become the chief minister of Goa, though he could not complete full term in any of his earlier stints.

Meanwhile, Viswajit, son of Congress veteran and former CM Pratap Sinh Rane, said he was also quitting the party.

While Viswajit was elected from Valpoi his father won from Poriem.

Vishajit, who over the last few days had been accusing the Congress leadership of squandering away the chances of forming a government in the state, was not present during the voting. 

Minutes after abstaining from the floor test, Viswajit resigned as Member of the Assembly and quit the Congress.

"We did know how and when he (Rane) disappeared. We do not know where he is. One moment he was perfectly ok, smiling, chatting with us. He also took oath as MLA, but just before the confidence motion was moved, he disappeared," Congress Legislative Party leader Chandrakant Kavlekar told reporters after the trust vote, as per IANS. 

Viswajit later told reporters that he had quit the party and his legislatorship in frustration because the party's senior leadership had let down the mandate of 17 seats won by the Congress. 

"The people of Goa gave a mandate to Congress. If our strength was 12-13, I would have stayed in the opposition. That is not the question. But when people gave the mandate to us, we have lost it because of the general secretaries and local leadership," he said. 

Responding to the development, Congress spokesperson Ramakant Khalap accused Rane of sullying the name of democracy by quitting the party in the middle of a trust vote. 

"He has ruined the name of his illustrious family and his father who is an MLA for 50 years... His parents are ashamed of his act of quitting the Congress," Khalap said.

(With Agency inputs)