Congress trying tooth and nail to form govt in this state

Panaji: While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) central team is in the city to address leadership crisis in the state after Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar being admitted to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi, the Congress on Monday demanded that the BJP-led government should be dismissed and the party (Congress) be given opportunity to form government.

Speaking to reporters at Raj Bhavan near the city, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader and Leader of Opposition in the State Legislative Assembly Chandrakant 'Babu' Kavalekar said, ''We have requested that government should not be dissolved and head for elections. Do not impose President's Rule or suspended animation.

People have elected us for five years and it is only 1.5 years. Imposing an election after 18 months is not good for anybody. And we are the single largest party and we had requested that we should have been invited to form government as a single largest party. The governor did not.''

''We have asked to be given opportunity to form a government. We have asked for appointment again tomorrow. The government is not functioning despite being there. The government should be dismissed and we should be given an opportunity,'' he said.

Earlier, meeting of the CLP was held at the Assembly Complex at Porvorim near the city. After the meeting the party MLAs rushed to Raj Bhavan at Dona Paula near the city with two memorandums to be submitted to Governor Mridula Sinha. However, as the Governor was not at the Raj Bhavan, the MLAs sought an appointment with on Tuesday. (UNI)