MUMBAI: Both the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress are facing a slew of serious issues ahead of the Assembly polls in Goa. The BJP is mired in a government job scam and a case of sexual exploitation even as the Congress faces a major exodus of incumbent MLAs.
The main opposition party got a big jolt on Monday when its working state president and three-time MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco left the Congress despite his assurances to Rahul Gandhi. In fact, his name had been announced as part of the first list of candidates.
The Congress, which was the single largest party with 17 MLAs in the 40-member Assembly in 2017, is now left with only two MLAs, including the Leader of Opposition. Neither the central nor the state leadership has been able to arrest the exodus.
The BJP too is facing a tough time in the state. While urban and social welfare minister Milind Naik was forced to resign after PCC chief Girish Chodankar accused him of involvement in the sexual exploitation of a woman, the BJP’s own MLAs have accused another minister, Deepak Pauskar, of corruption in recruitment for the public works department.
On the exodus of MLAs from the Congress, party sources said those who left were not sure if their party would return to power. Moreover, the sources added, these legislators had sought adequate funds for the poll campaign, but the leadership was unsure about granting the funds. “Therefore, they are leaving ahead of the polls and joining either the BJP or the TMC, which are offering them sufficient funds,” said a source.
Former Goa CM and Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat, however, underplayed the significance of the exodus. “Our functionaries have the strength and mettle to defeat the opportunists. The Congress is here to form the government and I am committed to lead the party to a thumping majority,” he said.