Congress leaders to stake claim in Goa

Amid speculation that Goa's Assembly may be kept in suspended animation due to political turmoil, Congress leader Chandrakant Kavlekar on Monday reached Raj Bhavan to stake claim to form the government.

Speaking to reporters outside Raj Bhavan, Leader of Opposition Kavlekar said that Governor Mridula Sinha had not given an appointment to the Congress delegation despite repeated requests.

"The Congress rightfully deserved to be called for staking claim because it is the single largest party in the state Legislative Assembly," he said.

"We do not have an appointment, because she is refusing to give us time. Despite that, we have arrived here to meet the Governor to stake our claim. It is our right as the single largest party in the Goa assembly," Kavlekar added.

The Congress has 14 MLAs in the 36-member Legislative Assembly, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has 12 legislators.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has been campaigning in Goa and trying to forge an alliance with members of the coalition government that was led by late Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.

While the negotiations appeared to have hit a road block, sources claim that the BJP was pressing for speaker Pramod Sawant as its chief minister candidate, something which the allies appear reluctant to accept.

--IANS

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