Panaji, Jan 16 (IANS): The Goa Assembly's winter session will be held from January 16 to 19.

Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao on December 26 had convened a meeting of all seven opposition MLAs (including him) to discuss joint floor management strategies to grill the state government in the session.

Before the merger of eight Congress MLAs led by former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat into the BJP on September 14, the strength of the opposition MLAs was 15, which has now come down to seven in the 40-member Goa Assembly.

Presently, the BJP has 28 MLAs, and with the support of two MLAs from the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and three Independents, the ruling alliance's strength in the Assembly is 33.

Opposition MLAs were demanding to hold the Assembly session for longer period, however it was not fulfilled. They had also called on Governor P.S. Sreedharan Pillai and urged him to direct the government to extend the duration of winter session to three weeks and allow 'Private Members Business'.

"The 'coward' BJP government is trying to suppress the voice of the opposition and transform the proceedings of the House into silent mode. But we, the seven opposition MLAs, are together and will grill the government on several issues," Alemao said.

"Chief Minister Pramod Sawant should realise that 67 per cent Goans had voted against the BJP for its misrule over the last 10 years. The opposition has the mandate of the people of Goa," he said.

Sources informed that opposition MLAs have made strategy to grill government over issue of the Mhadei diversion. Presently several public meetings are going on in coastal state to oppose approval given to Detailed Project Report of Karnataka for disputed Kalsa-Banduri dam project.