Karnataka 2.0: Cong Stakes Claim to Form Govt in Goa, RJD in Bihar
The Congress has staked claim to form the government in Goa citing its status as the “single-largest party”.
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Goa Congress to Stake Claim to Form Govt
Congress’ Goa in-charge Chella Kumar and other party leaders will meet the Goa governor on 18 May to insist that the Congress be allowed to form the government in the state – since it was the single largest party in the 2017 polls, ANI reported.
According to ANI, the Congress also plans to parade its MLAs into the governor’s house.
Will Meet Governor to Stake Claim: Former Manipur CM
Former Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh will meet the governor on Friday, 18 May, and stake claim to form the government on the basis of being the single-largest party, reported CNN-News18.
“We're seeking appointment from Governor for tomorrow (18 May). We were single largest party & had immediately met Guv after results were announced but we weren't invited to form govt. Based on recent developments, if BJP can be given chance to form govt, why not us? ” Singh tweeted.
Congress is Ill-Informed: Javadekar
Union Minister Prakash Javadekar told reporters that the BJP had acted according to the rulebook in Karnataka, and called Congress’ claims to form government in other states “funny.”
“Whatever BJP's done in Karnataka is in accordance with the rule book. Congress is ill-informed and as a result is making these funny claims,” said Javadekar.
We Had Proved Majority in Bihar: BJP
Mangal Pandey, Bihar Health Minister, slammed the RJD for staking claim to the government, and said that the BJP had proved a majority in the state in a coalition with Nitish Kumar.
“Those unemployed are looking for work. From time to time they keep looking for work like this. They've still not recovered from their loss. It's nonsense. We proved a majority in Bihar. Why are they doing this after eight months?” said Pandey.
Governor Should Rectify Mistake Made in 2017: Goa Cong Chief
A Chellakumar, Goa Congress in-charge, told ANI that the same rules should apply for both Karnataka and Goa.
“In the Constitution, there's no separate rule for Goa and Karnataka. Though the governor made a mistake in 2017, she has a chance to rectify it now. We're confident. The governor has given us time for a meeting at 11.30 am tomorrow (18 May). I'll go with MLAs to meet her and stake our claim to form government,” said Kumar.
Congress to Hold Demonstrations in Meghalaya
The Congress, which had won the largest number of seats in the February 2018 Assembly polls in Meghalaya, will hold demonstrations across the state on Friday, 18 May, to protest the Karnataka governor's decision of inviting the BJP to form the government.
The Congress had won 20 out of 58 seats of the Meghalaya Assembly. However, it was the conglomerate of the National People’’s Party – which had won 19 seats – that formed the government with the support of the BJP and other regional parties.
Regional parties such as United Democratic Party with six MLAs, People’s Democratic Front and the Hills State People’s Democratic Party with two MLAs each, the NCP with one, two Independent candidates and the BJP, which won just two seats, came together to form the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance under Conrad Sangma.
The Congress had also, earlier on 17 May called on all state units to stage demonstrations on 18 May.
Congress "Dream" of Acquiring Power in Goa Will Never Be Fulfilled: BJP
The BJP described the Congress’ decision to stake claim to form the government in Goa a "stunt," and said the Opposition party's "dream" to acquire power in the coastal state will never be fulfilled.
Congress chief Chandrakant Kavlekar told PTI the party will stake claim by submitting to Governor Mridula Sinha a formal letter containing signatures of all the 16 MLAs that the party has now.
"The Congress had a chance to form the government after the 2017 Assembly results. But their legislators and party's national leaders were busy enjoying stay at a hotel," BJP state unit president Vinay Tendulkar told PTI.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), one of the constituents of the BJP-led NDA government, dared the Congress to parade all the 16 MLAs of the party in public before meeting the governor on Friday.
Congress Workers Stage Demonstratsions in Bengaluru
Members of the Congress in Karnataka were staging protests at Raj Bhavan in Bengaluru, according to India Today, in the first of the demonstrations by the party’s state units.
Congress to Meet Goa Governor at Noon
The Congress in Goa confirmed that they would meet governor of Goa, Mridula Sinha, at noon on 18 May to stake claim to the Government.
Goa Congress MLAs Arrive at Raj Bhavan to Meet Governor Sinha
Thirteen MLAs of the Congress arrived at Raj Bhavan to meet Governor Mridula Sinha and staked claim to form the government.
Tejashwi Yadav, RJD Leave to Meet Bihar Governor, Stake Claim to Form Government
In a statement to ANI, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav’s son, Tejashwi Yadav, said that the party would meet with the Bihar governor and stake their claim to form the government.
Congress MLAs Meet Goa Governor Mridula Sinha
Congress MLAs from Goa met Governor Mridula Sinha on 18 May at Raj Bhavan to stake claim to form the Government, on the grounds of being the single-largest party.
The party said it gave the governor seven days to decide on its request.
RJD, Other Alliance Parties, Meet Bihar Governor Satyapal Malik, Stake Claim to Form Government
The RJD and other alliance parties, including the CPI(ML), led by RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav’s son, Tejashwi Yadav, met Bihar Governor Satyapal Malik and submitted letters staking their claim to form the government, on the grounds that they are the single largest party in the state.
'Can Easily Clear the Floor Test if Given a Chance': Tejashwi Yadav
Speaking to the media after meeting the Bihar governor, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav asserted that they can "easily clear the floor test" if given a chance, while also taking a dig at Bihar CM Nitish Kumar.
BJP Spokesperson Sambit Patra Lashes Out at Congress
Lashing out at the Congress for their actions in the aftermath of the Karnataka Assembly elections, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said:
Manipur Congress Meets Acting Governor, Stakes Claim to Form Govt
The Karnataka political effect spread to Manipur as well on Friday, as a Congress delegation in the state staked claim to form the government, Kh Jaikishan Singh, the spokesperson of the party's state unit, said.
Nine leaders of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP), led by the opposition leader in the Manipur Assembly and former chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh, met acting governor Jagdish Mukhi at Raj Bhavan in Imphal around noon and staked claim to form the government, Singh told PTI.
The Congress had bagged 28 seats in the 60-member House in the 2017 Assembly polls and emerged as the single-largest party.
The BJP, which secured 21 seats, had joined hands with regional parties and Governor Najma Heptulla had invited the coalition to form the government.
(Source: PTI)
Both the Congress in Goa, and RJD in Bihar met their respective governors on 18 May, as the ripples of the Karnataka political upheaval following the swearing-in of BJP’s BS Yeddyurappa as Chief Minister on 17 May, spread beyond the state’s boundaries.
The Congress in Goa met Governor Mridula Sinha, and the RJD in Bihar met Governor Satyapal Malik, and staked claim to form the government a little after noon on 18 May.
The Congress had announced its plans to stake claim to form governments Manipur, Meghalaya and Goa, where it was denied the opportunity despite having emerged the single-largest party in the Assembly elections. The Rashtriya Janata Dal followed suit in Bihar.
- “We can easily clear the floor test if given a chance. We don’t have MLAs who’ll take a U-turn like Nitish Kumar,” said Tejashwi Yadav
- In Manipur, nine Congress leaders met the acting governor and staked claim to form the government
- Congress called on all state units to stage demonstrations on 18 May
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Published: 17 May 2018,07:47 PM IST