Congress could have toppled BJP government in Goa, claims Digvijaya

PANAJI: Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh today claimed that his party had a chance to topple the BJP-led government in Goa two years ago but did not do so as party chief Sonia Gandhi was opposed to such a course by engineering defections.

"We could have easily done what they have done in Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand," Singh told Goa state executive committee meeting last evening, reportedly referring to the feelers from disgruntled BJP legislators.

"There were feelers during the first two years of the present regime of BJP government in Goa.Legislators were ready to defect," AICC General Secretary claimed.

He claimed Congress could have brought down the government then led by Manohar Parrikar, but the party president categorically said they were not interested in engineering any defection.

"As we were defeated in the Goa Assembly polls, we should continue to play the role of constructive opposition rather than engineering defection," he said.

The Congress leader said the party has resisted the temptation of engineering defection in the ranks of BJP.

BJP with alliance partner Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party had won Goa elections in 2012 while Congress was reduced to a single digit number party in the assembly.

While the BJP-MGP alliance won 25 seats, Congress won in nine constituencies in the election.