Two Goa BJP MLAs quit, say party has changed after Parrikar's demise

Goa BJP faced two setbacks in quick succession on Monday, days after the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the poll schedule for five states including Goa.

On Monday, the party's Ports Minister in the Goa government Michael Lobo and another sitting MLA Pravin Zantye resigned in quick succession, both of them claiming that the party was sidelining grassroots workers and departing from the culture inculcated by former Chief Minister late Manohar Parrikar.

While Lobo is expected to join the Congress party soon, Zantye said that he would be joining the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, a regional political party shortly.

"Party workers from other constituencies have told me that the party has become so big that it does not look at small workers. It brings new leaders and hoists them on us... We are grassroot level workers. We feel neglected, sidelined," Lobo told reporters after resigning from the cabinet, as a legislator and from the BJP's primary membership.

Also Read: Goa Polls: More hands to Opposition pump to flush out BJP

"It has been quite a good, long journey with BJP. BJP workers are unhappy with the party. Maybe I am wrong also. I have seen with my own eyes, heard it with my own ears," Lobo also said.

Hours after Lobo's resignation, Zantye also resigned as a sitting BJP MLA.

“The party I had joined on the word and assurance of former chief minister Manohar Parrikar is not the same party today,” Zantye said, adding that he would be joining the MGP soon.

Both Lobo and Zantye had joined the BJP when Manohar Parrikar was the de facto head of BJP affairs in Goa, before his demise in 2019.

In all four BJP MLAs have quit the party over the last one month, which include Cortalim MLA Alina Saldanha and BJP MLA from Vasco Carlos Almeida. While Saldanha has joined the Aam Aadmi Party, which has offered her a ticket to contest from the same seat, Almeida has joined the Congress.

The BJP has however dismissed the allegations levelled by Lobo and Zantye, saying that their resignations were fuelled by vested interests.

"Misleading statements that BJP has compromised on Shri Parrikar's legacy is nothing but a cover-up of their own deeds. Those who have switched over from BJP, just ahead of elections, for their vested interest should not use Shri Parrikar as an excuse to gain sympathy from the people," the party said in an official statement.

Elections to the state legislative assembly are scheduled to be held on February 14.

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