Meeting between Shah and ruling allies of Goa BJP postponed

A meeting scheduled in Delhi Wednesday between BJP chief Amit Shah and the leaders of the key constituents in the saffron party-led coalition government in Goa has been postponed to Thursday, a minister has said.

Shah was supposed to discuss the current political situation in the coastal state with the BJP allies.

Besides Goa Forward Party (GFP) chief Vijai Sardesai, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) leader Sudin Dhavalikar and Union AYUSH Minister Shripad Naik (BJP) were supposed to participate in the meeting.

"The meeting has been put off till Thursday," BJP leader and state Health Minister Vishwajit Rane told PTI over phone from Delhi Wednesday night, without elaborating.

He said Shah would now meet the leaders Thursday morning.

In the 40-member Goa Assembly, the Manohar Parrikar government enjoys the support of 23 MLAs, including 14 of the BJP, three each from the GFP and MGP and three Independent legislators.

In a setback to the Congress, two of its 16 MLAs in the coastal state -- Dayanand Sopte and Subhash Shirodkar -- resigned as members of the House as also from the primary membership of the party Tuesday. Both of them joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Chief Minister Parrikar is away from office for long due to ill health, triggering speculation over the stability of his coalition government.

The Congress had demanded a floor test in the Assembly, claiming that the state government had become rudderless and was in disarray.