Congress stakes claim to form government in Goa

Panaji, March 16 On a day when reports suggest that ailing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's condition has worsened, the Congress in Goa in a letter to Goa Governor Mridula Sinha on Saturday staked claim to form government in the coastal state.

In a letter addressed to Sinha, Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar said that the Parrikar-led coalition government is in a minority and its numbers may "dwindle". He demanded that she dismiss the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led dispensation and invite the Congress -- the single-largest party in the state Assembly -- to form the government.

"Consequent upon the sad demise of Francis D'Souza, MLA, who belonged to the BJP, it is humbly submitted that the incumbent BJP-led state government under the leadership of Manohar Parrikar, which has long lost the trust of the people and now also lost the strength of the House," Kavlekar said in the letter to the Governor.

"Also, we anticipate that numbers of the BJP may dwindle," he wrote requesting that such minority government be not allowed to continue even for a moment.

"It is therefore incumbent upon you to dismiss the state government led by the BJP to ensure that the Indian National Congress, which is the single-largest party in the august House and is presently enjoying the majority, be called to form government," Kavlekar also said.