‘Killing democracy’: Goa Congress seeks disqualification of MLA
Panaji, Nov 22 – Alleging that BJP government is out to kill the democracy by inducting ‘defectors’ in cabinet, Congress Chief Amit Patkar on Wednesday sought ‘disqualification’ of MLA Aleixo Sequeira, who was on Sunday evening sworn in as a minister in the BJP led government.
“We had filed a disqualification petition against Digambar Kamat and Michael Lobo in July (2022) and against eight MLAs in November, last year. Time and again we are requesting to expedite the matter. But in the second disqualification matter, the Speaker has not even issued notices.
“Hence we had approached the High Court and there was direction by court to clear it within time limit. But Speaker has not even issued notice,” Amit Patkar said, after submitting memorandum to Goa legislative Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar.
“When there is a disqualification petition against the eight MLAs, member from the same group is being inducted in the cabinet. What kind of justice is this,” he questioned.
“We have now sought action from the Speaker against Aleixo Sequeira. He should write to the Governor to disqualify him, because the matter is sub-judice,” he said.
He said that the Speaker should first give decisions in these matters.
“If the decision is against us then we will approach higher court. But at least he should give judgement. Without doing that these defectors are inducted in the cabinet,” he said.
He said that as speculated few more members from ‘eight defectors’ are going to get a cabinet berth.
“BJP government is out to kill the democracy. They don’t believe in democracy and hence we have demanded to stop more inductions of defectors,” he said
On September 14, last year former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, Michael Lobo, Delilah Lobo, Kedar Naik, Sankalp Amonkar, Rajesh Faldesai, Aleixo Sequeira and Rudolf Fernandes switched to the BJP, reducing the Congress’ strength to three MLAs in the 40-member Goa Assembly.
The Congress had alleged that Digambar Kamat and Michael Lobo had hatched a conspiracy by hobnobbing with the BJP to split Congress MLAs.
Earlier, the Congress in July, last year, had filed a disqualification petition with the Assembly Speaker against former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and Michael Lobo for anti-party activities.
Later after the political development of defection took place, two individual disqualification petitions against eight MLAs had been filed before Goa Assembly Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar on November 11 and on December 9, Congress had filed a disqualification petition against eight MLAs.
