'Goa BJP MLAs engage in brawl at Delhi meet'

The Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress claimed two Goa Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs engaged in a drunken brawl in Delhi early Saturday morning.

The Congress now wants Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to initiate a suo moto probe into the MLAs' fight at Goa Niwas in the Chanakyapuri area.

The MLAs were in the national capital to attend the BJP national executive meet.

BJP MLA Subhash Phaldesai from Goa, who reportedly received six stitches on his scalp to seal a cut caused by a glass flung at his head by colleague Kiran Kandolkar, initially denied the brawl happened, calling it a "rumour".

A cap-wearing Phaldesai dodged reporters, when he landed in Goa later in the day.

"It is a matter of shame for Goa that our MLAs are drinking and fighting. Is this what they are being taught at the national executive?" Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) vice president Trajano D'Mello asked at a press conference.

D'Mello, who also distributed photos of a shirt soaked in blood, allegedly worn by Phaldesai at the time of the attack, said it was not the first time that Kandolkar, a legislator from the Thivim assembly constituency, was in the spotlight for attacking a party MLA.

BJP MLA Vishnu Wagh had accused Kandolkar and others of attacking him Dec 19. However, Kandolkar denied he had any hand in the attack.

"The BJP is imploding. All its MLAs are fighting among themselves," D'Mello said.

Meanwhile, the Congress wants Kejriwal to probe the assault suo moto.

"The BJP may deny it. ... Those involved in such behaviour must be taken to task by law. Kejriwal must get the Delhi Police to probe the incident," Congress spokesperson Jitendra Deshprabhu said.

BJP spokesperson Wilfred Misquita said he "was not aware" of the incident, while Kandolkar was not available for comments.