8 Goa Congress MLAs, Including Digambar Kamat, Join BJP In Presence Of CM Pramod Sawant

The Congress is now left with only 3 MLAs in the 40-member Goa Assembly.

8 Goa Congress MLAs join BJP

In a major jolt to Congress in Goa, 8 of its MLAs have joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), confirmed former Congress MLA, Michael Lobo, as reported by news agency ANI.

Digambar Kamat, Michael Lobo, Delilah Lobo, Rajesh Phaldesai, Kedar Naik, Sankalp Amonkar, Aleixo Sequeira & Rudolf Fernandes are the MLAs to join BJP. They also met Chief Minister Pramod Sawant at the Assembly complex early today, reported ANI.

While joining the BJP, Lobo assured full suport to the BJP and said that all the Congress MLAs will try to "strengthen the hands of PM Modi".

"We have merged with BJP with a majority of 2/3rd to strengthen the hands of PM Modi and CM Pramod Sawant... 'Congress Chhodo, BJP ko Jodo', Michael Lobo was quoted as saying by ANI.

Goa | 8 Congress MLAs join BJP

We have joined BJP to strengthen the hands of PM Modi & CM Pramod Sawant... 'Congress chhodo, BJP ko jodo': says former Congress MLA, Michael Lobo pic.twitter.com/LMSEAjqUXb

— ANI (@ANI) September 14, 2022

While welcoming the leaders, Goa CM Sawant took a jibe at Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra and said that "Congress Chhodo Yatra will begin from Goa now," reported ANI. 

The Congress is now left with only 3 MLAs in the 40-member Goa Assembly, while the BJP number will increase to 33.

In a similar move in July 2019, 10 Congress MLAs had switched over to the BJP.

Reacting to the exits, Congress leader Supriya Shrinate, said that the MLAs have joined the BJP "out of greed and fear" and that they have "no moral ground"

In recent months, several high-profile leaders, including Ghulam Nabi Azad have quit the Congress party. The exits just before the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly polls may deal a huge blow to the party.