<p id="thickbox_headline">Former BJP MLA in Goa Carlose Almeida on Wednesday joined the Congress in Panaji, a day after resigning from the ruling party and the legislative Assembly, a switch over coming just a few months before polls.</p>.<p>Almeida joined the opposition party in presence of All India Congress Committee in-charge of Goa Dinesh Gundu Rao, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Girish Chodankar and Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat, among others.</p>.<p>Chodankar said Almeida's entry will strengthen the Congress, which has been seeing desertions by its own MLAs, in Mormugao taluka.</p>.<p>Almeida, who was elected to the Assembly from Vasco, became the second sitting BJP legislator to quit after Alina Saldanha.</p>.<p>“Goan people will never bring the BJP back to power in Goa. Under the BJP government, the state's law and order situation has worsened,” the GPCC president claimed.</p>.<p>Chodankar said "wrong" policies of the BJP government were responsible for rising inflation and various scandals.</p>.<p>Kamat said Almeida has taken the right decision by joining the Congress although the former MLA had been approached by several other parties.</p>.<p>Polls to the 40-member Goa Assembly are due in early 2022.</p>.<p><strong>Watch the latest DH videos:</strong></p>
<p id="thickbox_headline">Former BJP MLA in Goa Carlose Almeida on Wednesday joined the Congress in Panaji, a day after resigning from the ruling party and the legislative Assembly, a switch over coming just a few months before polls.</p>.<p>Almeida joined the opposition party in presence of All India Congress Committee in-charge of Goa Dinesh Gundu Rao, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Girish Chodankar and Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat, among others.</p>.<p>Chodankar said Almeida's entry will strengthen the Congress, which has been seeing desertions by its own MLAs, in Mormugao taluka.</p>.<p>Almeida, who was elected to the Assembly from Vasco, became the second sitting BJP legislator to quit after Alina Saldanha.</p>.<p>“Goan people will never bring the BJP back to power in Goa. Under the BJP government, the state's law and order situation has worsened,” the GPCC president claimed.</p>.<p>Chodankar said "wrong" policies of the BJP government were responsible for rising inflation and various scandals.</p>.<p>Kamat said Almeida has taken the right decision by joining the Congress although the former MLA had been approached by several other parties.</p>.<p>Polls to the 40-member Goa Assembly are due in early 2022.</p>.<p><strong>Watch the latest DH videos:</strong></p>