By Rupesh Samant

Panaji, Jul 24: While deciding to shut the door on the MLAs who switched over side to join BJP, Congress party in Goa on Wednesday decided to explore all possibilities to take stringent action against them.

A group of ten Congress MLAs led by then Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar had joined BJP, a fortnight back, decreasing strength of the party on the floor of the House from 15 to mere five.

Goa Pradesh Congress Committee’s Office Bearers who met on Wednesday in the capital city resolved that all the MLAs who quit the party should not be taken back, if they try to re-enter in the future.

“After much of deliberations on the matter of defection by the 10 Party MLA's..the meeting decided that stringent possible action be taken against them. All possible avenues be explored, including a Disqualification Petition to be filed before the High Court,” Trajano D’Mello, In charge of Goa congress’s Communication Cell told reporters.

He said that the office bearers expressed that the party doors should be permanently closed for the defectors. “Some of the office bearers expressed their determination that, if for any reason the Defectors are taken back in the Party, they would resign en-mass,” said D’Mello briefing about the meeting.

He said that the issue about aligning with the like minded political parties was discussed during the meeting. “The office bearers were of the opinion that such action should only be permitted on the floor of the House, to fight as united opposition,” he said.