Manohar Parrikar must take a trust vote in Goa today to prove he has the right to take over as Chief Minister, the Supreme Court ruled today. The BJP has been invited to form the government in Goa despite winning fewer seats in the election. First he will takeover as CM and then will go for the floor test.
That decision – taken by Governor Mridula Sinha – has been challenged by the Congress in court. After proving he had the required 21votes needed to form the government, the BJP’s Manohar Parrikar, who resigned as Defence Minister on the weekend, was to take oath today. The Congress won 17 seats in the election; the BJP won 13, but secured the support of small regional parties.
The Congress told the Supreme Court that Governor Sinha’s decision to invite the BJP to form the government is “illegal” and a “blatant unconstitutional action” as the single-largest party should have been given the first chance.
“If you had the numbers, you would have held a dharna (protest) at the Governor’s house,” the Supreme Court said today, adding that the Congress’ petition to judges also does not evidence that it has the needed support.
Courts are on holiday, but Chief Justice of India JS Khehar and other judges heard the petition on account of its political urgency.In election results announced on Saturday, the Congress won 17 seats and the BJP was second with 13. Both were short of 21, the minimum number of seats needed in the 40-member Goa assembly to form government.
The BJP moved swiftly to secure the support of regional parties Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party or MGP and Goa Forward and some Independent legislators and had by Sunday evening met the Governor to stake claim. The new allies had one condition – the BJP’s Manohar Parrikar should be Chief Minister.Governor Sinha invited the BJP, which says it now has the backing of 22 MLAs, to form government. Mr Parrikar said on Monday that he had resigned as Defence Minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet to return to his home state and to the post he held before he was called to Delhi.
