Gadkari slams Cong, says it has no right 'to teach politics'

Union Minister for Roads and Transport Nitin Gadkari on Thursday came down heavily on the Congress Party for accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of stealing mandate in Goa and Manipur where it came second and said that the grand old party which made Madhu Koda the Chief Minister of Jharkhand must not give lecture on politics.

Gadkari said, "This is nothing against democracy, people who made Madhu Koda the Chief Minister should not teach us politics."

Lashing out at the BJP for government formation in Manipur and Goa, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi earlier in the day alleged that the saffron party used money to win power.

"We won the assembly polls in Manipur, Goa and Punjab. BJP used money for forming government in Goa and Manipur. They have stolen the government," Gandhi said after attending the swearing-in ceremony of Captain Amarinder Singh.

Meanwhile, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who faced the crucial floor test today in the Goa Assembly, established victory as 22 MLAs stood in his support.

16 MLAs opposed Parrikar's candidature as the Chief Minister, while one MLA was absent.

Parrikar, who stepped down as Defence Minister, was sworn-in as the chief minister of the coastal state for the fourth time on Tuesday evening, along with nine ministers.

But with the Congress challenging his appointment, citing Goa Governor Mridula Sinha did not follow the procedure as dictated by the Constitution, the Supreme Court earlier this week asked the test to be conducted today.

A special assembly session was convened for the purpose.

Parrikar had claimed the support of 22 legislators, two more than the halfway mark in the 40-member Assembly.

The BJP bagged 13 seats in the polls, while it claimed the support of three MLAs each of the Goa Forward Party and Maharashtravadi Gomantak Party, besides three independents. The Congress won 17 seats.