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The Congress did not even submit a claim to the governor. It had only the support of 17 MLAs. The Congress party protested at the governor’s decision to invite Manohar Parrikar to form the government
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, on Tuesday, hit back at Congress allegations that BJP overturned the Goa verdict by grabbing power with post-poll alliances, although the Congress had emerged the single largest party.
"The Congress party complains a bit too much. It accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of ‘stealing’ the mandate in Goa. It unsuccessfully petitioned before the Supreme Court. It attempted to raise issues in the Lok Sabha. What are the facts?" he wrote on Facebook.
"The assembly elections in Goa produced an inconclusive verdict. There was a hung assembly. Obviously in a hung assembly, post-poll alliances will be formed. The BJP managed to form an alliance and presented to the governor 21 out of 40 MLAs. They appeared before the governor in person and submitted a letter of support. The Congress did not even submit a claim to the governor. It had only the support of 17 MLAs. The Congress party protested at the governor’s decision to invite Manohar Parrikar to form the government with support of 21 out of 40 MLAs and described it as ‘a murder of democracy’."
"There are several precedents which support this decision of the governor.
• In 2005, BJP won 30 out of 81 seats in Jharkhand. The JMM leader Shri Shibu Soren with a support of 17 MLAs of his Party plus others was invited to form the govt.
• In J&K 2002, the National Conference won 28 MLAs but the governor invited the PDP & Congress Combination of 15 + 21 MLAs to form the government.
• In 2013 the BJP won 31 seats in Delhi, but the AAP with 28 MLAs with support of Congress was invited to form the government.
There are other precedents on the same lines available in 1952 (Madras), 1967 (Rajasthan) and 1982 (Haryana)," he wrote.
