Chidambaram accuses BJP of ‘stealing’ polls in Goa, Manipur

Narayanamurthy S Updated - January 13, 2018 at 02:58 AM.

Says party coming second should not be forming govt

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Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Monday accused the BJP of “stealing” elections in Goa and Manipur, saying a party which comes second has “no right” to form the government.

“A party that comes second has no right to form government. BJP stealing elections in Goa and Manipur (sic),” Chidambaram tweeted.

The former Union Minister’s comments came after the BJP, with the help of smaller parties and independents staked claim to form governments in Goa and Manipur. It is the Congress that has emerged the single-largest party in these States.

In Goa, the Governor has already invited BJP leader Manohar Parrikar to form the government.

In Manipur, the BJP has met the Governor and claimed that it enjoys the support of three small NDA constituents, a Congress MLA and the lone Trinamool Congress legislator, taking its tally to 32 in the 60-member Assembly.

‘Money’s muscle’

Meanwhile, Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh has said that the BJP’s attempts to form governments in the two States was the victory of money power over people’s power. “Money Power has won over People’s Power. I apologise to the People of Goa as we couldn’t muster the support to form the Government (sic),” he tweeted.

He said the Congress would continue to fight against communal forces of “money power politics” in Goa.

Omar’s jibe

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, however, took a dig at the Congress.

“In 2002, NC was single-largest [party] but the Governor called Cong & PDP because he was satisfied they had the numbers to form Govt (sic),” the National Conference (NC) leader said, referring to the previous Congress-PDP government in Jammu and Kashmir led by PDP chief Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.

Published on March 13, 2017 17:23