The Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM) on Monday accused Governor Mridula Sinha of violating the spirit of the Constitution by allowing the BJP to ‘grab power’ through a cobbled-up majority, when it was not even the single largest party in the recent Assembly election.
Addressing a press conference here, GSM president Anand Shirodkar questioned the ‘undue hurry’ shown by the Governor in appointing ex-Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar as Chief Minister.
Later party mentor Subhash Velingkar demanded that the Governor be shifted out of Goa before she indulges in “more such constitutional improprieties.”
Simultaneously, the GSM leaders accused Mr. Parrikar of indulging in manipulation to capture power in the State.
Mr. Shirodkar said: “The ex-Defence Minister has flouted the spirit of Parliamentary democracy by trying to promote a government of BJP without it being the single largest party and by reportedly indulging in horse trading.”
Aam Aadmi Party’s Goa convenor Elvis Gomes on Monday said the Election Commission of India (ECI) should henceforth just “auction” every seat to the highest bidder instead of conducting an election process where the role of money continues unabated.
In his first press conference, after the AAP failed to win a single seat, Mr. Gomes claimed that the AAP had been confused about the expectations of the Goan electorate.
He said the party had striven to offer an alternative to the Goan voters, including new faces, giving ticket to candidates without criminal antecedents and bypassing the communal and caste-based formulas.
“Beyond this what people want, we cannot understand. We will try to understand the people better,” Mr. Gomes added.
