In a major blow to Congress, eight of its legislators including former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat who had met with Goa CM Pramod Sawant have joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today.

These legislators are Michael Lobo, Delilah Lobo, Rajesh Phaldesai, Kedar Naik, Sankalp Amonkar, Aleixo Sequeira and Rudolf Fernandes.

Speaking to the media, Michael Lobo confirmed, “We have joined the BJP to strengthen the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Pramod Sawant…’Congress chhodo, BJP jodo (Leave the Congress, join the BJP).”

Soon after meeting the secretary of the legislature, with the eight MLAs who merged the Congress legislature party with the BJP, Pramod Sawant said: “Today, Congress MLAs have merged with the BJP. The process will be completed. The MLAs, including Digambar Kamat, Micheal Lobo and those who have come with them, have come keeping in mind the vision of PM Narendra Modi to create a new India and for the development of Goa. They have joined the government and supported us. I welcome them. This will prove to be a historic decision in the development of Goa.”

The development came amid the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra, which is being held to combat the BJP-led Centre and awaken the country’s people to the dangers of economic inequalities, social polarisation, and political centralization.

The Yatra includes Padayatras, rallies, and public meetings which will be attended by the senior Congress leaders including Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Besides these MLAs, on September 4, Gujarat Youth Congress President Vishwanathsinh Vaghela resigned from his post which is considered to be a major jolt for the party.

On September 2, party leader Rajinder Prasad, who is also the son of late Master Beli Ram Sharma from Nowshera, Rajouri, resigned from all posts and the primary membership of the party. Prasad blamed the ‘coterie’ system for being a reason for the ‘demise’ of the party.

In addition, the exit of veteran leader Ghulam Nabi Azad from the Congress, months before the upcoming Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly polls, as well as the general elections in two years’ time, dealt a huge blow to party.

Jaiveer Shergill, who is a lawyer by profession and was one of the prominent ones among young Congress leaders, on August 24, tendered his resignation claiming that the vision of the decision-makers no longer was in sync with the aspirations of the youth.

Earlier this year in May, senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal, a prominent face of the G-23 group of dissenting leaders, resigned from the party and filed nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha elections as an independent candidate backed by the Samajwadi Party (SP).

Former Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar too parted ways with the Congress in May this year. Former Union Law Minister Ashwani Kumar in February also resigned from Congress after a long association of 46 years with the party.
Back in May, Gujarat Patidar leader Hardik Patel had quit the party after he felt that he was being “ignored”.

(With inputs from ANI)