‘Final hearing on plea against ex-Cong MLAs on Oct 3 & 4’

Panaji: Speaker of the Goa legislative assembly, Ramesh Tawadkar, on Friday, said that the final hearing on the disqualification petition against eight former Congress MLAs who joined BJP would be held on Oct 3 and 4. “We have decided today the final argument will be heard on Oct 3 and 4,” Tawadkar said. He said that replies have been filed by most of the respondents, adding that that the apex court has directed to decide on the disqualification petition before Nov 4.

“We have conveyed to the MLAs about the Supreme Court directions and we will follow the directions,” Tawadkar said. Congress had filed a disqualification petition before the speaker against its eight former MLAs who joined BJP in Sept 2022, including former leader of opposition Michael Lobo and Margao MLA Digambar Kamat.

The other MLAs who switched over to BJP are Aleixo Sequeira (Nuvem), Rudolf Fernandes (Santa Cruz), Michael’s wife Delilah Lobo (Siolim), Sankalp Amonkar (Mormugao), Kedar Naik (Saligao), and Rajesh Faldessai (Cumbharjua).

State Congress president Amit Patkar had earlier said that Indian National Congress (INC) has not met to take any decision or resolution to merge with BJP. “There was no meeting of the INC convened to take any such decision. It will therefore be correct to contend that the merger of the legislature party in the absence of the merger of the original political party, not being contemplated under the tenth schedule, clearly attracts disqualification on grounds of defections. Since by this act, the respondents have voluntarily given up membership of their original political party and thus incurred disqualification on grounds of defection, they are not liable to continue as members of the House,” Patkar had said.