Won't topple BJP government, let it collapse on its own: Goa Congress

Toppling the incumbent BJP-led coalition government is not the top priority for newly appointed state Congress President Shantaram Naik, even as he said that if the ruling coalition crumbles under its own weight, his party would not shy away from cobbling together its own government.

Naik, who was addressing the media for the first time since taking over as the party's state president on Friday, said that he would work towards uniting dissenting party workers and MLAs.

"As far as formation of government is concerned, I have said that we are not going to pull down any government, but if the government collapses, and I think it will collapse very soon, then we will not shirk from the responsibility of forming the government," Naik told reporters.

Naik, whose term as Rajya Sabha MP expires later this month, also said that he would focus on re-energising the party's membership drive and work towards resolving differences between various factions within the party.

"I will attempt to energise the party's recruitment drive... I am open to working with everybody. If there are any differences, we can solve it," Naik said.

Naik on Friday replaced Luizinho Faleiro, who has faced opposition from a section of the party's legislators.

--IANS

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