Digvijaya said letter to Goa Governor wasn't needed: Faleiro

Continuing with the blame game related to the Congress fiasco on forming the new government in Goa, its state unit President Luizinho Faleiro on Friday said the central leadership failed to collect signed letters of support from potential alliance partners.

Faleiro said a letter about emergence of Congress as the single largest party and seeking to form a government in Goa was also ready for submission to Governor Mridula Sinha on March 11 night.

"(However) our General Secretary (Congress leader Digvijaya Singh) said there was no need to give a letter, because as the single largest party, the Governor would call us," the state Congress leader told the media here.

As the Congress bickered through March 11 and 12, the BJP led by then Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar roped in Goa Forward and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party MLAs along with two other Independent legislators, met the Governor and staked claim to forming the new government.

Another key shortcoming of the Congress, Faleiro said, was to not insist on obtaining letters of support from potential coalition partners on March 11 night.

"If the Maharastrawadi Gomantak Party and Goa Forward can give letters of support to Parrikar and the BJP, with a condition that Parrikar should be made the Chief Minister, the same night a letter could be given to us after speaking to our Vice President," Faleiro said.

Gandhi spoke to Sardesai on phone and accepted all conditions laid down by his party, including dropping Faleiro as chief ministerial candidate.

"On March 11, Sardesai put a condition for the coalition with Congress -- Luizinho Faleiro is not there in the government... party high command phoned me and asked me... I said I am willing to sacrifice anything for the party's sake," he said.

The BJP won 13 seats but formed a government with support of non-Congress MLAs and won the vote of confidence 22-16 on Thursday.

The Congress emerged as the single largest party with 17 MLAs in the 40-member Goa assembly.

--IANS

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