The second sitting Congress MLA, Pandurang Madkaikar on Thursday resigned from the party and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of State Assembly elections scheduled early next year.
Mr. Madkaikar submitted his resignation as MLA of Cumbharjua Assembly, North Goa to the State BJP speaker Anant Shet, and later formally joined the party at its headquarters in presence of Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar and President Vinay Tendulkar.
Mr. Madkaikar has joined BJP for the second time after 12 years.
“I made a mistake by quitting the BJP and for the last 12 years I was repenting it,” Mr. Madkaikar said.
Last week, another Congress MLA, Mauvin Godinho from Cortalim Assembly resigned and joined the BJP.
The legislative strength of Congress has now come down to six from nine.
During his term as Goa Chief Minister, Mr. Parrikar had made allegations of corruption against Mr. Madkaikar. When asked if he will continue to back these allegations, Mr. Parrikar said that an enquiry is being conducted in the matter.
“We will have to find out the status of the enquiry,” he said, adding that if it brings up something adverse, “Action will be taken”.
As the Leader of Opposition during the Congress-led State government, Mr. Parrikar had filed a case of power subsidy scam against Mr. Godinho, and had pursued it till the Supreme Court. The outcome of the case is still awaited, however, Mr. Parrikar on Thursday called the case an “attempt of a scam” and claimed that since the government’s money was recovered, “ Now, let the court decide [on the issue].”
Meanwhile, the Goa Pradesh Congress president, Luizinho Faleiro accused BJP of practising politics of blackmail and embracing leaders whom it termed corrupt earlier.
