Panaji, February 19: Former Goa Chief Minister and Congress MLA Luizinho Faleiro on Tuesday blamed Digvijay Singh for failing to form a Congress government in the state despite emerging as the single largest party after 2017 polls. Faleiro also said he resigned from Pradesh Congress Committee and declined the post of Leader of Opposition in protest against Digvijay Singh's way of functioning.

"After the last Assembly elections when general secretary Mr Digvijaya Singh did not allow me to hand over the letter to the Governor for the formation of the government, I resigned from the PCC in protest, asked them to accept my earlier resignation as the PCC president and I refused to become the CLP leader and Leader of Opposition," the Navelim legislator said while speaking during inaugural ceremony of a road in his constituency. Digvijay Singh Reacts to Mayawati's 'BJP-RSS Agent' Remark, Says 'Tried Everything For Congress-BSP Alliance'.

"I had refused even though I had the highest number of votes, nearly 12 to 13 votes out of 17. I refused because I said I will do the work in my constituency. They had promised that they will form the government within 24 hours. Now 24 months have passed, but I still have the patience for our party to form the government. But I have not interfered, I will not interfere, nor do I want to contest the elections," Faleiro was quoted as saying. BJP Alleges Digvijay Singh Has Links With Naxals; Arrest Me, Says Congress Leader.

In the 2017 assembly polls in Goa, the Congress had emerged as the single largest party with 17 seats. The grand old party was just four seats short of a simple majority. However, the BJP, which had bagged 13 seats, had managed to form the government with support from small parties. Digvijaya Singh, the in-charge sent by the party high command, was blamed by several Congress leaders for not allowing them to stake claim to form the government.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 19, 2019 06:01 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).