Induction of Congress MLAs into BJP is death of Parrikar's legacy, says outgoing Goa deputy CM

Panaji, July 13: Outgoing deputy chief minister of Goa, Vijai Sardesai, on Saturday said the induction of 10 MLAs of the Congress into the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was the "death of the legacy" of late chief minister Manohar Parrikar - the tallest saffron leader in the coastal state credited for forming the coalition government in 2017 by bringing together regional parties.

The Congress in Goa suffered a body blow on Wednesday when 10 of its 15 MLAs switched over to the BJP, a development that raised the ruling stock in the 40-member House to 27.

Subsequently, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant dropped four ministers - three of the Goa Forward Party (GFP), including Sardesai, and one Independent - from his cabinet. "Parrikar died twice...once on March 17 physically while today it is the death of his political legacy," Sardesai told a gathering held near Parrikar memorial at Miramar.

Meanwhile, Sardesai also announced that the GFP was "withdrawing" its support to the BJP-led government. He alleged that the ruling government wanted to finish Parrikar's legacy, which won't be allowed.

"We supported the Pramod Sawant government because I had given my word to Parrikar that the support to the government will continue under any circumstances. We now feel cheated and ditched by the NDA," he said.

Sardesai reiterated that he had not received any communication from Central leaders of the BJP. "The central leadership of the BJP has lost its face. The NDA has ditched their partners," he said.