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How Congress in Goa snatched defeat from the jaws of victory

Published

9 years ago

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Manohar Parrikar has taken oath as Goa CM and will face a floor test on March 16

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Though they got 17 seats and was the single largest party, the BJP which secured only 13 had by Sunday sewn up deals with the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (3) and Goa Forward Party (3) and some independents to present to the governor a list of 22 legislators

~By Sujit Bhar[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]The Goa situation has come to a critical point. As Governor Mridula Sinha called the BJP to form government—Chief Minister designate Manohar Parrikar had already resigned from his post at Defence Minister and taken oath as chief minister on March 14—Congress took time to realise that the BJP was actually the party that finished second at the hustings in the state. While the Congress got 17 seats, BJP managed 13.

Neither had the magic number of 21 to claim independent hold of the 40-member assembly of the state. By Sunday, and way before the Congress could get out of their slumber and move, the BJP had sewn up deals with the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party or MGP (3) and Goa Forward Party (3) and some independents (3 independents have won) to present to the governor a list of 22. While the governor should have traditionally called the largest party to show its strength, this quick response of the BJP (and no official claim by the Congress) had her in a bind. She called the BJP to form government and asked it to prove its strength on the floor of the assembly in 15 days.

That got the Congress’ goat. They rushed to the Supreme Court and demanded justice. The court is on vacation, but considering the urgency of the situation, the Chief Justice of India, JS Khehar, called a three-judge bench—others on the bench being Justices Ranjan Gogoi and R K Agrawal—to handle the case. The Supreme Court agreed that the floor test will have to be held on March 15 itself—the Congress had argued that the 15-day window was too large, fearing rampant “horse-trading”—but then came down heavily on the Congress. The court also refused to stop the oath-taking by Parrikar.

Senior Congress lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi petitioned as follows: “Election results were known by 11th evening. INC got the majority seats of 17 seats. On 12th Congress selected the CM but by then, on 12th evening, BJP’s Mr Parrikar goes to governor and same day he was appointed by governor as CM of Goa.”

His claim: “Extravagant discretion exercised by governor is not allowed as per Constitution. The governor should not have appointed without consulting the single largest party. Democracy is part of basic structure. We have now 21 members supporting the Congress party.
We had written to the governor that we will form the government.
The governor should have called us before appointing the CM.”

That was when the CJI interjected, saying: “You saw them saying they have the majority. But you never said you have the majority nor have you mentioned in this petition. You have not brought the affidavits of these people who are with you. You failed to show that the people who are mentioned in their list are with you.”
The court said: “If you had the numbers, you would have held a dharna at the Governor’s house.”

As counsel Singvi submitted that “It’s constitutionally and legally wrong,” Justice Gogoi replied: “Healthy constitutional practice should be followed, not the just the convention of calling the largest party.”

With things not so bright, Singhvi pleaded: “How can you give a window of 15 days to second largest party? Let there be a floor test today (March 14) or tomorrow.”

The Chief Justice said: “You could have demolished their case in 30 seconds. You could have just shown that they are with you. You are putting us also in the position of the governor. You have not shown that three people are with you.”

Singhvi admitted the lapse. He said: “I made a mistake by not showing that I agree. Our second prayer is to hold the floor test. What is the difficulty in holding the floor test today or tomorrow?”

Finally, the court acceded to his request and issued the order, the relevant section of which is as follows: “We … hereby direct, that all pre-requisite formalities for holding a floor test, including the formalities required to be completed by the Election Commission, be completed by 15.03.2017. We request the Governor of the State of Goa to ensure, that a floor test is held on 16.03.2017, and the only agenda for the day would be, the holding of a floor test to determine whether the Chief Minister administered the oath of office, has support of the majority. The floor test shall be held on 16.03.2017, as early as possible, but surely during the course of the same day.”

It’s not over

The Supreme Court may have acceded to the plea and ordered a floor test on Thursday. However, that is definitely not the end of the problems for Congress.

While Congress leader P Chidambaram tweeted: “The BJP is stealing elections in Goa, Manipur (in Manipur, too, the BJP has been invited to form government). Party that comes second has no right to form government,” Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, who is in charge of Goa affairs shot back: “The Congress was busy in Goa with five to six candidates claiming leadership. So they did not have time to discuss with alliance partners.”

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has reportedly said: “Governor in Goa had only one claim of 21 MLAs out of 40 with Parrikarji as leader. 17 MLAs of Congress did not even make a claim.”

The issue has boiled over to the Congress MLAs—many of them first-timers—who are reportedly furious that despite having the numbers, they could not stake claim. They were surprised and frustrated that the party was not able to get the support just four legislators from other parties to show a minimum of 21.

A visibly frustrated Jennifer Monserrate, an elected Congress MLA from Taleigao (North Goa) was reportedly heard saying: “It is miserable and horrible… people trusted the Congress and voted for us… we get a clear 17 seats and we still couldn’t manage to form government… we are the laughing stock.”

This is the level of degeneration and decadence that the Grand Old Party seems to have gone into. The rheumatic behaviour is so apparent that the party today can snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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India and Russia vow to walk together against terrorism, reaffirm strategic partnership

PM Modi and President Putin reaffirm India-Russia unity against terrorism, deepen energy and trade cooperation, and discuss peace efforts amid the Ukraine conflict.

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20 mins ago

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December 5, 2025

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday underlined that India and Russia “walk together in the fight against terrorism,” reinforcing a decades-old strategic partnership that remains steady amid global geopolitical churn. The leaders issued the joint statement following talks at Hyderabad House in Delhi, where they also announced steps to boost trade, economic cooperation, and energy collaboration.

India-Russia stand firm on counter-terror cooperation

PM Modi described President Putin as a “dear friend” and highlighted Moscow’s consistent support to India on counter-terror efforts. Russia had earlier strongly condemned the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, allegedly linked to Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed, and reiterated solidarity with India’s fight against terrorism in all forms.

The joint remarks emphasized that the bilateral friendship, rooted in trust and mutual respect, has remained resilient for decades despite global challenges.

Focus on energy, trade and use of national currencies

A key highlight of the engagement was Russia reaffirming “uninterrupted shipments” of fuel to India. PM Modi expressed gratitude for Russia’s commitment, noting energy cooperation as a crucial pillar of the relationship. While he did not specifically mention oil purchases, given ongoing Western pressure, he emphasised cooperation in civil nuclear and clean energy.

The two countries also discussed expanding economic ties, including a possible free trade agreement. President Putin said bilateral trade was being targeted to reach USD 100 billion, and acknowledged progress toward using national currencies for payments — a remark expected to draw global attention.

Putin shares peace plan insights on Ukraine conflict

Putin briefed the Prime Minister on Russia’s perspective for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing Ukraine war and appreciated India’s continued role as a “champion of peace.” PM Modi reiterated India’s consistent position on dialogue and diplomacy.

Agreements across jobs, health, shipping and minerals

Officials exchanged multiple agreements covering employment mobility, health, shipping, chemicals and cooperation in critical minerals — further broadening the strategic footprint of the partnership.

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RBI cuts repo rate to 5.25%, paving the way for cheaper loans

The RBI has cut the repo rate to 5.25%, aiming to support growth as inflation softens. The central bank also raised GDP projections and announced liquidity-boosting measures.

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5 hours ago

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December 5, 2025

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Reserve Bank of India

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reduced the key repo rate by 25 basis points to 5.25% on Thursday, signalling relief for borrowers as banks are expected to offer lower EMIs on home and vehicle loans. Governor Sanjay Malhotra announced the move after the conclusion of the three-day Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting.

RBI prioritises growth as inflation eases

Malhotra said the decision was unanimous, with the central bank choosing to focus on supporting economic momentum despite concerns over a weak rupee. The repo rate was earlier cut in June from 6% to 5.5% amid easing inflation trends.

The RBI now projects Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation at 2% for FY2025-26, significantly softer than earlier estimates. For the first quarter of FY2026-27, inflation is expected at 3.9%, lower than the previous projection. The governor noted that rising precious metal prices may contribute to the headline CPI, but overall risks to inflation remain balanced.

GDP outlook strengthened

In a strong upward revision, the central bank increased the GDP forecast for the current financial year to 7.3%, previously estimated at 6.8%. Growth for the October–December quarter has also been revised to 6.7%.

The last quarter registered a six-quarter high expansion of 8.2%, reflecting resilient demand and steady credit flow.

“The growth-inflation balance continues to offer policy space,” Malhotra said, reiterating that the RBI’s stance remains neutral.

Other key decisions

Alongside the repo rate cut, the RBI announced adjustments to key policy corridors:

  • Standing Deposit Facility (SDF): 5%
  • Marginal Standing Facility (MSF): 5.5%

To improve liquidity and strengthen monetary transmission, the RBI will conduct forex swaps and purchase ₹1 lakh crore worth of government bonds through Open Market Operations (OMO).

RBI reviews a challenging year

Reflecting on 2025, Malhotra said the year delivered strong growth and moderate inflation even as global trade and geopolitical uncertainties persisted. He added that bank credit and retail lending remained healthy, providing support to the economy.

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IndiGo flight chaos deepens as over 500 services cancelled, passengers stranded for hours

Over 500 IndiGo flights were cancelled nationwide, leaving passengers stranded without food, clarity or their luggage as airports struggled to manage the disruption.

Published

6 hours ago

on

December 5, 2025

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IndiGo flight

India’s largest airline continued to face massive operational breakdowns, triggering frustration among travellers at major airports across the country. From piles of unattended suitcases to passengers waiting over 12 hours without food or clarity, the disruption stretched into its fourth consecutive day.

Long delays, no communication leave passengers anguished

Several travellers at Delhi airport described the situation as “mental torture”, as thousands of unclaimed suitcases lay scattered across the terminal. Many slept on the floor, while others expressed anger over the lack of communication from airline staff.

One flier said he had been waiting for over 12 hours without any explanation: “Every time they say one-hour or two-hour delays. We were going to a wedding but don’t even have our luggage.”

A passenger in Hyderabad recounted a similar ordeal, saying the flight was delayed indefinitely with no food, water, or updates from the airline. At the airport, some travellers blocked an Air India flight in protest over the lack of arrangements.

Goa and Chennai airports also witnessed tense moments. Videos from Goa showed fliers shouting at IndiGo staff as police attempted to calm the situation. At Chennai, CISF denied entry to IndiGo passengers due to heavy congestion.

Major metro airports impacted; cascading cancellations nationwide

Flight cancellations and delays were reported across multiple airports:

  • Over 200 flights were cancelled in Delhi
  • More than 100 each in Mumbai and Bengaluru
  • Around 90 in Hyderabad
  • Dozens more in Pune, Vishakhapatnam, Chennai and Bhopal

Pune airport stated that parking bay congestion worsened the situation, as several IndiGo aircraft remained grounded due to lack of crew. Other airlines continued operations without disruption.

Airport authorities said they had mobilised additional manpower for crowd control and passenger support.

IndiGo admits planning lapses, says more cancellations expected

The airline acknowledged a “misjudgment” in assessing crew requirements under revised night-duty norms, which it said created planning gaps. Winter weather and airport congestion further aggravated the crisis.

IndiGo informed the aviation ministry and DGCA that some regulatory changes—such as the shift in night-duty timings and a cap on night landings—have been rolled back temporarily to stabilise operations.

The airline warned that cancellations may continue for another two to three days, and from December 8, schedules will be trimmed to prevent further disruption.

In a message to employees, CEO Pieter Elbers said restoring punctuality would not be an “easy target”.

Airline issues apology amid nationwide frustration

In a late-night statement, IndiGo apologised to customers and industry partners, acknowledging the widespread inconvenience caused by the disruptions. The airline said all teams were working with authorities to bring operations back to normal.

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