Pramod Sawant hints at another party shift, says anything is possible

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, while attending the 50th birthday celebration of Congres MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, said that anything is possible in politics. His statement has come up nearly three months after 10 Congress MLAs joined the ruling BJP in Goa. Sawant’s statement points out to the fact that he is not ruling out the possibility of more Congress MLAs joining hands with the BJP. 

Possibility of Lourenco joining BJP

During his birthday celebration, Goa Ports Minister Michael Lobo claimed that Lourenco "may become the state's Deputy Chief Minister in near future", but did not elaborate any further. Later, while talking to reporters, Sawant too did not deny the possibility of Lourenco joining the BJP in the near future.

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 "Lourenco is doing a good job in the opposition. He is helping us in good governance as a good opposition is required (in democratic functioning)," he said. Asked about Lobo's claim that Lourenco may become the Deputy Chief Minister, Sawant said, "Anything is possible in politics. You never know. I said anything is possible."

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Lourenco has denied the reports so far

However, Lourenco, the MLA from Curtorim who on many occasions has often criticised the BJP-led government in Goa Assembly, has, so far, ruled out any move to join the ruling party. "There is no plan from my side to leave the Congress," he said. 

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The July shift over from Congress to BJP had lowered the opposition strength from fifteen to five after a group of 10 Congress MLAs in the coastal state, led by Leader of Opposition in the assembly Chandrakant Kavlekar, decided to merge with the ruling BJP, thereby increasing the ruling party's strength to 27 in the 40-member House. The BJP currently has 27 legislators in the 40-member state Assembly. Besides, the House has five Congress members, three from the Goa Forward Party, three Independents and one each from the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and the NCP. 

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(With PTI Inputs)