Six Congress MLAs wanted to join ruling BJP in Goa?

PANAJI: Dismissing claims of a senior Congress leader that some BJP MLAs from Goa are "in touch" with the party, the BJP today said at least six Congress legislators wanted to defect their party.

"Six Congress MLAs were begging for favours,forgiveness and entry in BJP," state BJP spokesman Dr Wilfred Mesquita said.

He was responding to AICC secretary P Sudhakar Reddy's statement yesterday that Congress was not intending to topple the Manohar Parrikar-led government although some of the BJP MLAs are in touch with the party.

"They (Congress) cannot bring down the BJP government in Goa because it was elected by people with full mandate to rule for next five years," Mesquita said, adding the state government has fulfilled all promises it had made to people in the last six months.

In the 40-member House, BJP has 21 MLAs, its alliance partner Maharashtravadi Gomantak Party (MGP) 3, Independents 2 Congress 9 and remaining five seats are represented by other parties.