PANAJI: Eight Congress MLAs in Goa, including former chief minister Digambar Kamat, on Wednesday joined the ruling BJP, in a body blow to the opposition party which is now left with just three MLAs in the 40-member state Assembly.
The eight MLAs joined the BJP in presence of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and state BJP chief Sadanand Shet Tanavade.
In a similar move in July 2019, 10 Congress MLAs had switched over to the BJP in Goa.
The BJP retained power in the coastal state after the state Assembly elections in March this year.
It has 20 MLAs in the Assembly, while the Congress' strength will be depleted from 11 to three.
The eight Congress MLAs - Kamat, Michael Lobo, Delilah Lobo, Rajesh Phaldesai, Kedar Naik, Sankalp Amonkar, Aleixo Sequeira and Rudolf Fernandes - were seen interacting with Sawant in a viral photo hour ahead of formally joining the BJP.
Earlier on Wednesday, a resolution was passed in the Congress Legislature Party meeting here to merge with the BJP, Lobo said.
The three other Congress MLAs - Yuri Alemao, Altone D'Costa and Carlos Alvares Ferreira - were not present when the resolution was passed, he added.
Addressing a press conference with state BJP chief Sadanant Shet Tanavade, Sawant said that BJP's strength in the 40-member Assembly has gone up to 28 with the eight new entrants.
The chief minister said eight of the 11 MLAs of Congress, including former chief minister Digambar Kamat, have joined the BJP.
"With today's development, the BJP now enjoys the support of 33 MLAs (including two of the Maharashtravadi Gomantak Party and three Independents). These Congress MLAs have joined the BJP unconditionally," Sawant said.
Sawant said the BJP now has 28 MLAs and enjoys the support of 33 MLAs altogether in the Assembly.
Sawant said the "Congress Chhodo Yatra" has begun from Goa, as seen from the influx of that party's legislators into the BJP.
He also exuded confidence that the BJP will win another Lok Sabha seat in Goa in the next elections.
Of the two Lok Sabha seats in the coastal state, the BJP and the Congress represent one each.
"In the 2024 polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be re-elected with the support of more than 400 MPs," he added.
(With PTI and ANI Updates)