BJP govt led by Parrikar wins with support of 22 MLAs, Congress’ Rane absent during vote

Mangalore Today News Network

Mar 16, 2017: Chief minister Manohar Parrikar won a crucial trust vote in the state assembly on Thursday, with 22 legislators backing the BJP-led coalition to bring down curtains on the drama over the government formation process.

 

Parrikar, who has stepped down as the defence minister, was sworn in as the CM for the fourth time on Tuesday evening along with nine ministers. But the Supreme Court ordered an immediate trust vote since his party, the BJP, finished second in the recently concluded assembly elections.

In Friday’s floor test, the BJP had the support of 12 of its own MLAs – excluding pro-tem speaker Sidharth Kuncalienker -- three each from the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and the Goa Forward Party, three independent lawmakers and a Nationalist Congress Party legislator.

Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar tells ANI, “there is a need to bring change in the Congress leadership.” The party is losing relevance in Indian politics, he adds.

Manohar Parrikar tells NDTV that he would’ve liked his party to have been in a better position, when asked whether he had any apprehensions ahead of the vote. He rubbishes Congress’ allegations that support was bought and says, “Digvijaya Singh needs to be introspect and find the real problem in the Congress party.”

On leaving the defence ministry post, Parrikar says it is “something I definitely miss. I have never said I did not like leading the defence ministry. I said I don’t like Delhi.”

“Money power proves to be stronger than people’s power,” tweets Congress in-charge of the state Digvijaya Singh.

“Goa first and fast forward,” says Parrikar.

He says that it is a government of coalition and that decisions will be taken by the coalition on appointing a deputy CM.

“I don’t want to comment on MLAs from other parties,” says Parrikar, when asked whether Congress’ Rane pledged support to him. Tells reporters that a cabinet meeting has been scheduled for Friday.

“I have not cleared policy decision files yet. Thought it appropriate since the vote of confidence had to be complied with, not because I was under pressure,” says Parrikar.

“We have proved before the people of India that we had the support of 23 and we proved it on the floor of House.

Digvijaya’s claims that they have numbers, debunked. Right from the beginning they didn’t have numbers,” says Parrikar, addressing a press conference after the trust vote.

“Everyone voluntarily came and voted, none of them were kept in a hotel room or secluded common place as was the case of opposition,” he says.

Congress leader Viswajit Rane was not present in the assembly at the time of taking votes.

BJP wins trust vote in the Goa assembly with the support of 22 MLAs. (NCP MLA also supports them).

Congress’ Ravi Naik walks to the well of the house to take oath, asks Parrikar with an indication of the hand whether everything is fine.

Sudin Dhavalikar of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) takes oath. Goa Forward’s Vijai Sardesai is also sworn in.

Dayanand Sopte of the Congress party who registered a record win against Laxmikant Parsekar in Mandrem constituency sworn in first.

Floor test to begin after MLAs are sworn in.