Panaji: A total of 24 legislators in Goa, which is 60 percent of the total strength of the 40-member state assembly, has switched parties in the past five years, a report with the organization has said.
The Democrat Reform Association (ADR) said in its report that with this, Goa has set a unique record, which is “unmatched” in the history of Indian democracy.
The assembly poll in Goa will be held on February 14.
“In the tenure of the five-year assembly (2017-2022), 24 MLA has changed their parties, which is 60 percent of the total power of the house.
It never happened elsewhere in India.
Clear reflection of the total does not respect the selector’s mandate.
A heartless approach to ethics and excessive discipline with uncontrolled greed in his worst, “said the report.
It was said that the 24 MLA list did not include the names of Vishwajit Rane, Subhash Shirodkar and Dairand Sopte, who have resigned as the MLA Congress in 2017, and joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in power, before fighting for the ticket selection.
The ten legislators have crossed to BJP in 2019.
They include the opposition leader Kavlekar Kavlekar (Quepem Constituency).
Other MLA congresses that have turned to BJP are – Jennifer Monserrate (Taleigao), Francisco Silveria (St Andre), Filipe Nery Rodrigues (Velim), Wilfred Nazareth Menino D’sa (Nuvem), Clafasio Dias (Cuncolim), Antonio Carano Fernandes ( St Cruz), Neelkanth Halarnkar (TIVIM), Isidore Fernandes (Cancona), Amanasio Monsererrate (who won Panaji with the election in 2019 after the death of Manohar Parragar).
Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) Mlaas Deepak Pauskar (Sanvordem) and Manohar Ajgaonkar (Pernem) has also turned to BJP during the same period.
Jayesh Salgoourkar from Goa Forward Party (GFP) from Saligao also joined BJP.
Recently, the former head of the head of Goa Ravi rose, a MLA Congress from Ponda, joined the powerful Safron Party.
Former former CM leader and Congress Luizinho Faleiro (Navelim) has joined the Trinamool Congress (TMC), who tried his election fortune in Goa for the time in the February 14 assembly poll.
Churchill Alemao, a former CM who had won on the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) ticket in 2017 also turned to TMC recently.
Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, MLA Congress from Curorim, also joined the Mamata Banerjee party.
However, Lourenco resigned from TMC too and wanted to return to Congress, but was not taken.
He has now decided to oppose future polls as independent.
Other MLA, Wilfred d’Sa, who had come out of the Congress and joined BJP in 2019, has resigned from the ruling party and fight as independent.
Deepak Pauskar also stopped from BJP.
MLAS Independent MLAS Rohane (Porvorim) and Govind Gaude (Priol) have joined BJP, while other independent legislators, Prasad Gaonkar, have joined the Congress.
BJP Mlaas, which quit the party is – Pravin Zantye (Maem), who now joins MGP, Michael Lobo (Calangute), who has joined the Congress, Jose Luis Carlos Almeida (Vasco Da Gama) has joined the Congress, while Alina Saldanha (Cortalim) has joined the AAM AADMI Party (AAP).
After the defection and resignation of MLA, the current strength of the Congress at home is two, while BJP is 27.
The battle of elections for caves has become multi-click with the entry of TMC and aggressive campaign by Arvind Kejriwal -Led AAP.
So far, the tie-up of polls forged between regional MGP and TMC, and between Congress and GFP.
In the 2017 Election, the Congress has emerged as the largest single party in Goa by winning 17 seats at home 40 members, but cannot be powered as BJP, which bagged 13, ally with several regional and regional parties forming the government.