The Congress, still smarting from its inability to form governments in Goa and Manipur, sought a discussion in the Rajya Sabha on the role of Governors in the two States.

The party had emerged the single-largest party after the recent Assembly elections in both States and yet lost out to the BJP, which formed coalition governments.

Congress General Secretary-in-charge of Goa, Digvijaya Singh raised the matter in the Upper House and said the actions of the Governors should be debated as they did not invite the largest party to form governments.

Citing a substantive motion he had moved, Singh said the matter should be immediately taken up. Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien said the notice had been received and is under the consideration of Chairman Hamid Ansari. “As and when Chairman decides on the admissibility, you will be intimated,” he said.

Singh’s comment that “democracy had been murdered” as the Governors had invited the BJP, the second-largest party, to form governments, was criticised by the Treasury Benches. Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad urged the Chair to expunge the remark, but other Opposition members, including the CPI(M)’s Tapan Sen, said there is nothing wrong in the phrase. Opposition leader Ghulam Nabi Azad also wanted the Centre to debate the matter on Monday.

Singh claimed the Governor’s actions had gone against the established practice and constitutional propriety and urged that his motion be taken up expdeditiously, otherwise the urgency will be lost. “The Congress was the single-largest party in both Goa and Manipur and had the first right of refusal in forming the government,” he said.

“If a notice is given, there is a procedure. Chairman has to examine its admissibility,” Kurien said. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the Chairman will have to decide if such a motion is to be admitted and, if admitted, under what rule.

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