BJP trying to split Goa Congress; Kamat, Lobo are conspirators: AICC official

There was a conspiracy that was hatched by some of our own leaders hobnobbing with the BJP, AICC Goa chief Rao said

The Congress on Sunday claimed to have thwarted an attempt by the BJP to split its 11-member legislative party, with All India Congress Committee (AICC) Goa in-charge Dinesh Gundu Rao sacking Leader of Opposition Michael Lobo from the post and also accusing former CM Digambar Kamat of being part of the conspiracy to split the opposition party.

Rao late Sunday held a press conference with five MLAs claiming that one more legislator could not make it to the media event, even as Lobo, along with at least two Congress legislators Kedar Naik and Rajesh Phaldesai, are believed to have met Chief Minister Pramod Sawant at his official residence in Panaji.

"There was a conspiracy that was hatched by some of our own leaders hobnobbing with the BJP to see that the Congress Party, which is the principal opposition party, is weakened and engineer a split and defection within the party. So this conspiracy has been led by our leaders. One is Leader of Opposition and the other Digambar Kamat," Rao told reporters.

Also read: Congress removes Michael Lobo as Leader of Opposition in Goa

"We have sacked Michael Lobo from the post of Leader of Opposition and it is also disappointing that former CM Digambar Kamat, who has been given so much by the party, is also a part of this conspiracy," Rao said.

The top state Congress leadership along with Rao had held a series of meetings in the morning, including one at the residence of the Digambar Kamat and were scheduled to address a press conference to showcase all its MLAs in the evening. However, only five Congress MLAs were present and one more legislator could not make it.

For the 11-member Congress legislative party to split, the breakaway group needs to have at least eight MLAs. The presence of five MLAs at the Congress press conference on Sunday suggests that the move to split the party has come to a cropper at least for now.

Fifteen out of the 17 MLAs elected to the state assembly in 2017 had quit the party over five years, following which the Congress made its candidates take oath in front of Hindu, Catholic and Muslim religious deities swearing against defection or quitting the Congress mid-term ahead of 2022 polls.

"These (candidates) are the same people who have sworn in front of temples, churches and mosques swearing that they will not defect. They will not leave Congress. Whatever happens, we will be loyal to the Congress party. It is now a clear reflection now as to what their belief in God is and how much they value God and what is the true value of their oath," Rao also said.

Lobo, Kedar Naik and Rajesh Phaldesai were not available for comment.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant did not deny Congress MLAs meeting him but added that the meetings were routing.

"I am gearing up for the assembly session which begins tomorrow (Sunday). Some MLAs have met me routinely. But I am the chief minister, a lot of people come to meet me," Sawant said.