Congress won't engineer defection by BJP MLAs in Goa: Digvijay Singh

PANAJI: Amid reports of some Goa BJP MLAs being disgruntled with Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh has said his party would not back any move to destabilise the BJP-led state government.

He, however, said the party was not averse to the Parrikar government falling on its own.

"We will not engineer any defection, but if Parrikar government falls on its own, then we are not to be blamed," Singh was quoted as having told Congress legislators during a closed-door meeting, a senior party leader said on condition of anonymity.

There were reports that a section of BJP MLAs unhappy with Parrikar's functioning was in touch with their Congress counterparts and independent legislators to explore the possibility of bringing down the Parrikar government.

"Singh told the legislators not to be the part of any (such) political activity. The high command is not supporting any defections in Goa right now," the leader told PTI today.

The BJP, however, has denied its MLAs were disgruntled with Parrikar and were hobnobbing with the Opposition to pull down the government.

"The reports that our legislators are grouping with the Opposition is a rumour...it has no basis," BJP Goa unit president Vinay Tendulkar said.

Independent legislator Vijay Sardesai, who claims to have attended several such meetings, said a group within the BJP had taken the lead to destabilise the government.

He said the move could not fructify as "Congress is not the best possible alternative to form the government."