Why BJP carried out silent operation in Goa when there was no threat to govt

Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, July 11 

While Karanataka ‘nataka’ proceeded on the centre stage, quietly on the sidelines in Goa, Congress’ 10 MLAs jumped the ship to join the saffron party. 

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who was today here in the Capital with his newly acquired flock to meet BJP president Amit Shah and working president JP Nadda, said the Congress MLAs have merged with the BJP unconditionally. “10 Congress MLAs, along with their Opposition Leader, have merged with BJP. Strength of BJP has now risen to 27. They have joined for development of the state and respective constituencies. They have not put forward any condition and have joined BJP unconditionally” is what he was quoted as saying.

While more is always merrier, given that there appeared to be no evident threat to Sawant and the ruling BJP in Goa, the development took many by surprise. Apart for 17 legislators of its own, three of ally GFP and three independents, it was in a good place in the 40-member Assembly, or so it seemed. Apparently there were issues with allies, especially Goa Forward party “becoming increasingly demanding”. Besides after the death of Manohar Parrikar, it was important to cement the position of Sawant as state leader.

With 10 Congress MLAs by its side the BJP’s strength in the Assembly has increased to 27, triggering speculations that Sawant may drop some coalition members from his Cabinet. GFP president and Deputy Chief Minister Vijai Sardesai was quoted as saying his party was not related to the development and he has not been told about its implications. 

Two-thirds of Congress Legislative Party joining the BJP is sufficient to avoid action under the anti-defection law. Initially only six Congress MLAs had expressed willingness to join the BJP which would not have served the purpose. The strength of the Assembly would have gone down to 34, leaving Sawant in the same position with allies as before. With 27 MLAs of its own, the BJP does not need allies anymore, the sources add.

In the 2017 polls, after a hung Assembly emerged with the Congress winning 17 and the BJP 13 constituencies, the saffron party moved fast, cobbling together a coalition and anointing late Manohar Parrikar, the then Defence Minister and its most popular leader in Goa, as the Chief Minister. The GFP said it would support the BJP only if Parrikar was brought back to the State as CM.