Have accepted Cong MLAs letter requesting merger with BJP: Goa Assembly Speaker

Goa Assembly Speaker Rajesh Patnekar on Wednesday said that he has accepted the letter given by 10 rebel MLAs in which they mentioned about merging with BJP.

"Today, 10 Congress MLAs gave one letter to me that they are merging with BJP. The second letter was given by Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant that the strength of BJP has been changed. I have accepted both the letters," Goa Assembly Speaker Rajesh Patnekar said here.

Ten rebel MLAs along with other BJP MLAs will be arrive in Delhi tonight. They will be meeting with working BJP president JP Nadda in Delhi.

Meanwhile, the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Chandrakant Kavlekar, who is said to be the leader of rebel MLAs said, "Ten of us entered into BJP today, just because Chief Minister(Pramod Sawant) is doing good work. I was Leader of Opposition, despite that development work in our constituency could not be done. Despite being the single largest party we could not form the government."

"If no development is done how will people choose us next time? They (Congress) couldn't fulfil the promises they made. There were several opportunities to form the government but due to lack of unity among some senior leaders, it could never be done. So we did this," Kavlekar said after merging with BJP.

In a major political development, a group of ten MLAs from Congress party in Goa severed ties with their party this evening to merge themselves with BJP.

The group of Congress leaders led by Kavlekar met Speaker Patnekar in the evening to give a letter informing him about their decision .

Other MLAs include -- Atanasio Monserratte, Jeniffer Monserratte, Francis Silveira, Philip Nery Rodrigues, Cleaofacio Dias, Wilfred D'Sa, Nilkant Halarnkar and Isidor Fernandes.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant was also present when the entire group of legislators arrived at the assembly complex. Deputy Speaker of Legislative Assembly Michael Lobo was also present with them.

With ten MLAs changing the sides, the strength of Congress on the floor of the House would be reduced to mere five.