Panaji, Sep 15 (IANS): While opposition parties in Goa are alleging that eight Congress MLAs, who quit the party and joined the BJP on Wednesday, sold themselves to the saffron camp, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said they have joined the ruling party without any conditions.
Ever since the eight Congress MLAs joined the BJP, including former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, people are speculating about the induction of two or three MLAs in the state Cabinet.
Along with Kamat, Michael Lobo, Delilah Lobo, Kedar Naik, Sankalp Amonkar, Rajesh Faldesai, Aleixo Sequeira and Rudolf Fernandes switched sides on Wednesday.
"As our nation is progressing under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, 10 MLAs from the Congress had joined us in the last term, and today eight more have come into the BJP fold. They have joined without any conditions," Sawant said.
"So far, there has been no decision over the induction of these new entrants into the Cabinet. They have joined without any conditions," Sawant added.
He also said that two MLAs of MGP are with the BJP and they will remain with them. MGP MLA Sudin Dhavalikar is presently the Power Minister in the BJP-led government.
Dhavalikar was dropped from Cabinet in the last term of the BJP government after the death of former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar. However, he was inducted in the cabinet in the present term of the BJP government, despite BJP having 20 MLAs and support of three Independents.