Won't stop MLAs from committing 'polticial suicide': BJP
PTI, PANAJI | 03 October 2011 20:38 IST
Amid speculations that some of its MLAs might gravitate towards Congress ahead of the Goa state Assembly elections, the BJP today said it would not stop anyone from committing "political suicide".
"Whoever wants to commit political suicide let them go ahead and do it. We won't stop them.
We have already advised them against such a suicidal political move," Laxmikant Parsekar, state BJP chief, told PTI today.
The remarks came in the wake of two BJP legislators namely Rajesh Patnekar (Bicholim) and Dayanand Sopte (Pernem), crossing over to Congress amid rumours that more will follow the suit.
Parsekar said the party's executive and legislature wings held a meeting here yesterday and asked its members not to quit."(But) we can't stop the people from leaving the party.
If someone wants to compromise his political future for the sake of money we can't do anything.
They (Congress) has lot of money to poach our MLAs," he said.Parsekar claimed that "public opinion" was against the ruling Congress, which will be reflected in the forthcoming state legislative assembly elections.
With two of its legislators shifting their loyalties, the strength of BJP, which is the principal Opposition party in the 40-member assembly--now truncated to 38--has been reduced to 12.
The Congress' is 20, NCP 3, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) 2 and Independent 1.
According to sources, the MLAs resigned citing 'better political future' and 'neglect by the Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar.
When asked to comment on the allegations levelled by the BJP in the wake of resignations, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee Chief Subhash Shirodkar told reporters yesterday "they (MLAs) quit BJP and joined Congress because they believed in the ideology of the party".
