New Delhi, October 16: Two Goa Congress MLAs were spotted at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Amit Shah's residence on Tuesday. According to reports, the two Congress legislators Dayanand Sopte and Subhash Shirodkar left for Delhi amidst speculations that they may join the BJP. Reports quoted a senior BJP leader saying they were likely to meet BJP president Amit Shah in the national capital. Meanwhile, Goa health minister Vishwajit Rane was also spotted at Goa Airport.

"Both the Congress MLAs will be resigning from Congress party on Tuesday and joining the BJP," a senior BJP leader was quoted by PTI. It must be noted that while Sopte represents Mandrem constituency, Shirodkar was elected on a Congress ticket from Shiroda constituency. In the 2017 State legislative assembly election, Sopte had defeated former BJP chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar. Goa Congress MLAs Issue Notice For Removal of Assembly Speaker Pramod Sawant. 

If these two legislators resign from their posts, the strength of Congress will come down to 14. Congress currently has 16 MLAs in the Goa Legislative Assembly. When reporters at the airport asked Sopte the reason for travelling to the national capital, he said he is going on a business trip. Similarly, when Shirodkar was asked if he was joining the BJP, he said you will come to know, if he does it.

Amid hectic political activities in Goa, the Congress is seeking President Ram Nath Kovind intervention to ask Goa Governor Mridula Sinha to call them to form the government. The political crisis in the state comes at the backdrop of the ailing health condition of Chief minister Manohar Parrikar, who is currently being treated by doctors from state-run Goa Medical College and Hospital at his residence at Dona Paula.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 16, 2018 12:20 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).