Much to the dismay of the BJP, Goa chief minister Digambar Kamat on Monday survived a confidence vote in the state Assembly after three legislators were disallowed from voting and the speaker?s casting vote ensured the Congress remained in power.
Crying foul, the BJP staged a walkout and is now expected to challenge the speaker?s ruling in court. Vehemently objecting to the speaker?s interim ruling preventing the three MLAs from voting, BJP opposition leader Manohar Parikkar said it was a violation of the Governor?s orders.
The ruling coalition?s deft floor tactics became apparent only after speaker Pratapsinh Rane first disallowed Congress MLA Victoria Fernandes and then two MGP MLAs, Sudin Dhavlikar and Dipak Dhavlikar from voting, based on disqualification petitions filed by Congress MLAs. The three MLAs disallowed from voting had pledged support to the BJP-led Goa Democratic Alliance.
Speaker Rane?s casting voted saved the government after both sides were tied in the 40 member assembly, each having 18 members.
