Goa Forward withdraws support to BJP-led government

Panaji, July 14: A day after three of their Ministers were sacked from the Pramod Sawant-led Goa cabinet, regional party Goa Forward on Sunday formally withdrew support to the BJP-led coalition government.

In a letter to Governor Mridula Sinha on Sunday, Goa Forward president and now former Deputy Chief Minister Vijai Sardesai said: "Political affairs committee and the legislature party wing of Goa Forward party met today and has decided to unanimously withdraw support to the BJP government led by Dr. Pramod Sawant."

On Saturday, Sawant dropped four ministers from his cabinet, including one Minister who is an independent MLA, to make way for the induction of four new faces in Sawant cabinet, three of whom were Congress defectors.

The defectors were part of a 10 MLA contingent which broke away from the Opposition party and merged with the BJP on July 10.A

The BJP currently has 27 MLAs and has the support of two Independent MLAs in the 40-member Goa legislative assembly.