Goa: Congress packs its MLAs in hotels ahead of election results

The MLAs have reportedly been detained at Hotel Bamboli Beach Resort as the party fears they might be approached by the rival parties to join hands with them to secure a win in the state.

Panaji: After the exit polls of the Goa Assembly Elections 2022 indicated a hung assembly in the state, the Congress fearing defection has packed all its MLAs in hotels. The MLAs have reportedly been detained at Hotel Bamboli Beach Resort as the party fears they might be approached by the rival parties to join hands with them to secure a win in the state.

Reports also indicate that these MLAs might remain under surveillance until the results of the elections are out, avoiding any possible scope for the rivals to approach them. After the Assembly elections 2022 concluded on February 7, the exit polls indicated that no party in Goa would be able to reach the majority mark on its own.

The smaller parties in the state are reportedly demanding the chair of the CM as a leverage against joining the bigger parties that are in desperate need for their favour right now. Such a situation may likely compel the larger parties to seek support from each other's MLAs too.

The polls in Goa for the 40-member Goa Assembly were concluded in a single phase on February 14, while the results are to declared on March 10. In the last Assembly elections in 2017, Congress had emerged as the winner with 17 seats, while the BJP had bagged 13 seats with an alliance with the Goa's regional party Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP).