Cong seeks Goa CM's resignation over purchase of land in Maha

Opposition Congress on Saturday demanded the resignation of Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant alleging that he had purchased huge tracts of agricultural land at Dodamarg in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg district.

The opposition party alleged that although the ceiling on purchase of agricultural land in Maharashtra is 54 acres, Sawant had bought 2,966 acres of such land.

Congress national spokesperson Pawan Khera, while addressing a press conference here, also asked whether Prime Minister's Office (PMO) was aware of the purchase of land made by Sawant.

Citing the election affidavit filed by Sawant in 2017, Khera said he had purchased 2,966 acres of land at Dodamarg in Sawantwadi in 2016 for Rs 38 lakh.

"In Maharashtra, the land ceiling is 54 acres for agricultural land. You cannot buy more than that even if you are a chief minister. We want to know how come the rule was bent for Sawant," he asked.

Khera said that on October 24 this year, when Maharashtra Assembly election results were declared, Sawant and his wife went back to Sawantwadi to register two more land deals in Dodamarg area.

"We demand immediate resignation of the chief minister for conflict of interest. He is busy buying land...and he has concealed some facts from his election affidavit," the Congress leader said.

"We also want to know whether Sawant has furnished these details to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO)," he added.

Khera also accused Sawant of lobbying along with the locals in Maharashtra to merge Dodamarg area into Goa.

When contacted, Sawant was not available for his comments.

However, the chief minister had earlier said that all the properties that he had purchased were legally valid.