Former Goa Minister Michael Lobo, His Wife Delilah Join Congress Ahead Of Polls

Michael Lobo represented the Calangute constituency and held charge of the state port and waste management departments in the Goa Cabinet.

Goa minister Michael Lobo submitted his resignation to the CMO on Monday (Twitter/@MichaelLobo76)

New Delhi: Former Goa minister and BJP leader Michael Lobo along with his wife Delilah Lobo joined the Congress in Panaji on Tuesday.

The development comes a day after Michael Lobo resigned from both the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Legislative Assembly on Monday.

Michael Lobo represented the Calangute Assembly constituency and held charge of the state port and waste management departments in the Goa Cabinet.

Former Goa BJP minister Michael Lobo along with his wife Delilah Lobo joined the Congress party in Panaji today pic.twitter.com/ARySUobz8Z

— ANI (@ANI) January 11, 2022

Speaking to reporters, Michael Lobo had said people were dissatisfied with the ruling BJP in the coastal state.

"The voters told me that the BJP is no more a party of the common people. The grass-root level workers are feeling ignored by the party," PTI quoted Lobo as saying.

READ | Goa Minister Michael Lobo, MLA Quit BJP; CM Says 'Few Defections' Won't Affect Party

On Monday, BJP MLA Pravin Zantye, who represented the Mayem Assembly constituency, also quit the saffron party. In all four BJP MLAs have resigned over the last month -- Lobo, Zantye, Carlos Almeida and former forest minister Alina Saldanha.

Reacting to the resignations, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Twitter that "a few defections" would not impede the BJP's agenda of good governance.

"Bharatiya Janata Party 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," Sawant tweeted.

"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," he further said. 

Earlier in the day, Govind Gaude, an independent legislator and the state's Art and Culture Minister resigned as MLA and said that he would be joining the BJP, PTI reported.

Elections for all 40 Assembly constituencies in Goa will take place on February 14. Counting of votes will be done on March 10.