Goa: Congress demands CM Parrikar's resignation Thursday, May 13 2004 21:30 Hrs (IST)
Panaji:
Launching a scathing attack on Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Government in the State, the Opposition Congress today (May 13, 2004) demanded its resignation, saying Manohar Parrikar had no moral right to rule after his party lost one of the two seats in the Lok Sabha election in the State.
Addressing reporters after his party candidate Churchill Alemao won the Mormugoa seat defeating his nearest BJP rival by over 50,000 votes, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Luisinho Faleiro said, "Despite the crores of rupees spent by BJP and the best efforts of Manohar Parrikar, they have not managed to win the Mormugoa seat. He (Parrikar) has no right to remain in power."
When asked if his party would engineer the fall of the Government, Faleiro said, "The Government will fall on its own. There is no need for us to do much."
Terming the one-all verdict in the State as one in favour of Congress, he said there was a "strong undercurrent" against BJP in the State, due to "total collapse of law and order and rampant corruption at all levels."
Thanking the voters of Panaji, where Congress's alliance partner, NCP garnered more than 88,000 votes despite a low-key campaign, Faleiro said, "This is a victory for every Goan, irrespective of caste or creed.
The Congress Legislature Party would meet on May 21 to discuss the election scenario, he said.