Congress’ Troubles Mount As 10 Of Its 15 Goa MLAs Join BJP Amid The Political Crisis In Karnataka

In a major blow to the Congress party, 10 of its 15 MLAs in Goa joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday (10 July), including the incumbent leader of opposition, raising the BJP's tally in the assembly to 27 members, reports Asian News International (ANI).

"They had come for development of the state and their constituency. They have not put forward any condition, they have joined the BJP unconditionally," said the Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.

The development was also confirmed by the Deputy Speaker of the Goa Assembly Michael Lobo who said that, "Ten MLAs of the Congress party have split from the Congress. Speaker Rajesh Patnekar has accepted the resignations of 10 MLAs, who form two-thirds of the Congress legislative party of 15 MLAs,"

This is a major blow for the Congress which is already facing a political crisis in the Karnataka where the party has a coalition government with the Janata Dal (Secular). As many as 18 MLAs of the Karnataka coalition government have tendered their resignations leaving it on a verge of collapse.

Last month, Congress had suffered a similar fate in Telangana where 12 of its 18 MLAs had crossed over to Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's TRS party.