Political analysts attribute lack of able leadership, faction and infighting and trust deficit to Congress party's present state of affairs.
The Congress party's attempt to checkmate BJP in Goa received a major setback after its two legislators Dayanand Sopte and Subhash Shirodkar quit to join BJP. This has brought down Congress party's strength to 14.
It has also dampened the party's grand plan to prove majority in the Goa Assembly, claiming that not all is well in the BJP-led coalition government. Congress party's Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar had led the delegation last month to stake claim for the formation of government. However, he failed to sniff rising discontent and BJP's plan to increase its strength.
Political analysts attribute lack of able leadership, faction and infighting and trust deficit to Congress party's present state of affairs. This is especially portent at a time when the party president Rahul Gandhi is running campaign against BJP in the run-up to the 2019 elections. Today's development comes two days after BJP lured Chhattisgarh units' working president Ramdayal Uike into its fold.
Defection is not new to the party and Goa in general. In 1990 and 2005, Goa, which has gained notoriety for political instability, witnessed 14 governments. The state hogged the headlines due to frequent change of governments. Defection to topple governments became a routine affair after 1984 after the former Public Works minister Wilfred D'Souza (in the Congress government led by Chief Minister Pratapsinh Rane) left the party with 11 legislators. However, Rane was able to stay afloat with the support of 15 legislators and some independents in the 40 member state assembly.
Disappointed with the Congress party's dictatorial style of functioning, the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and United Goans Democratic Party supported the BJP government led by the Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar in 2002.
However, in March 2005, the Assembly was dissolved by the Governor and President's Rule was declared. Interestingly, Congress staged a comeback in the by-election held in June 2005. Subsequently, Congress-led coalition won the Assembly elections of 2007 and completed it's tenure in 2012.
Even as recently as 2017, despite emerging as the single-largest party in the state's legislature with 16 seats, they failed to cobble up a simple majority of 20 seats. With 14 seats, BJP made the right gestures and stitched timely alliances with independent candidates, Goa Forward Party and MGP to come back to power.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Wilfred de Souza")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}