assembly-elections

Updated: Mar 15, 2017 13:21 IST

The BJP’s bid to form governments in both Goa and Manipur despite being runner-up has drawn criticism from the Congress party, which has accused the saffron party of ‘stealing elections’. In both states, the BJP finished second in the assembly elections, but was in an advantageous position to form governments with the help of allies.

Watch this space for live updates from Goa, Manipur and new Delhi on an action-packed Tuesday

6.20 pm: Manipur governor Najma Heptulla invites the BJP-led alliance to form government. Swearing in ceremony to take place at 1 pm on Wednesday.

6.06pm: Union home minister Rajnath Singh takes to Twitter to extend his wishes to Parrikar.

“I am confident that Goa will scale new heights in areas of development and good governance under the able leadership of Sh. Manohar Parrikar,” he posted.

5.58pm: “I agree the mandate is fractured, but with 22 MLAs together, the vote share is more than sufficient. Its a post poll alliance,” CM Parrikar says.

5.57pm: A NCP MLA, Churchill Alemao, has joined the BJP, taking their numbers in the assembly up to 22.

5.55pm: Newly sworn in Goa CM, Manohar Parrikar, has questioned the Congress over its accusations of a ‘stolen Goa mandate’.

“If you (Congress) had the support then why did you not go to the Governor? The support extended to BJP to form government in Goa is only for Goa’s development. No MLA wanted to support Congress,” ANI quoted Parrikar as saying.

5.50 pm: Prime Minister congratulates his former cabinet colleague, Manohar Parrikar, on becoming Goa’s chief minister

Congratulations to @manoharparrikar and his team on being sworn in. My best wishes in taking Goa to new heights of progress. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 14, 2017

5.46 pm: Governor Mridula Sinha concludes the swearing in ceremony. National anthem is played

5.41 pm: The two MLAs from MGP have been sworn in

MGP's Manohar Ajgaonkar and Independent MLA Rohan Khaunte take oath as ministers in Goa Government pic.twitter.com/Gs7HD7XZuj — ANI (@ANI_news) March 14, 2017

5:30pm: Nine MLAs are being sworn in in total, including three from Goa Forward Party (GFP), two from Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), 2 independents, and 2 from BJP apart from Manohar Parrikar

5.26pm: BJP MLAs also being sworn in

5.20 pm: Manohar Parrikar starts taking the oath of office and secrecy as Goa’s chief minister in the presence of governor Mridula Sinha

5.15pm: Swearing in ceremony begins

5pm: BJP national president Amit Shah also arrives at Raj Bhawan for the swearing in ceremony. Parrikar will be the next chief minister of Goa.

4.58 pm: Union minister Nitin Gadkari and other elected MLAs from regional parties arrive at Raj Bhawan for the swearing in ceremony of Manohar Parrikar.

4:50 pm: Jaitley tells reporters that the BJP is “confident” of getting majority in the SC-ordered floor test in Goa. With Parrikar taking on Goa chief ministership, his Cabinet post of defence minister has been given to Jaitley. “It is a big responsibility, I will start from where Manohar Parrikar Ji left,” Jaitley says on the additional charge.

4:45 pm: Jaitley tells reporters that Congress neither elected a leader nor made a claim in front of the Governor, so it cannot protest against the BJP’s claim to form government.

4.35 pm: Protests erupt outside Goa governor Mridula Sinha’s house.

People hold up posters protesting the BJP alliance that has claimed the right to form the government under Manohar Parrikar. ( Nida Khan/HT Photo )

3.10 pm: Union finance minister Arun Jaitley hits back at Congress over their accusations that the BJP is “stealing” the Goa election mandate. In a Facebook post, he said the Congress “complains too much”.

Governor in Goa had only one claim of 21 MLAs out of 40 with Parrikar ji as leader. 17 MLAs of Congress did not even make a claim:A Jaitley — ANI (@ANI_news) March 14, 2017

Backing the BJP’s claim to form the government in Goa, Jaitley further wrote, “Goa produced an inconclusive verdict. There was a hung assembly, (so) obviously post-poll alliances will be formed. Congress complains a bit too much. It accused BJP of ‘stealing’ mandate in Goa. It unsuccessfully petitioned before SC.”

2.30 pm: Congress reiterates its grouse about governor Mridula Sinha not meeting them.

We wrote to her(Goa Governor) on 12th, we came to the office, but was told as its a holiday its closed: L Falerio,Congress pic.twitter.com/87Ojx7eSFw — ANI (@ANI_news) March 14, 2017

1.30 pm: “This is a great victory for us,” says Digvijaya Singh on the Supreme Court’s floor test directive. The Congress delegation, including all 17 Congress MLAs who won the election, has reached the governor’s house in Goa.

1.15 pm: Digvijaya Singh claims that the Congress party has been seeking an appointment with Goa’s governor Mridula Sinha since March 12 but were not given any. “Today we sought appointment for 10.30 but she has given us time for 1.30.” He questions her decision not to meet the Congress delegation, tweeting: “Is it Constitutional? Doesn’t it violate the Sarkaria Commission guidelines? Is it Moral?

She didn't even meet the single largest party elected by people of Goa before calling Parrikar to take oath. Is it justice ? — digvijaya singh (@digvijaya_28) March 14, 2017

1.00 pm: Majority was not achieved by any party in Goa and Manipur, other parties gave us support for the formation of government, says Union minister Venkaiah Naidu.

12.50 pm: “Our fight is against BJP’s ideology, what they did in Manipur and Goa is exactly the ideology we are fighting against,” says Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, speaking to reporters outside Parliament. He also says, “As far as the Congress is concerned, some structural and organisational changes are needed.”

When asked about allegations that Congress’ central leadership did not act soon enough in Goa, he responds, “Act soon enough? It’s not a question of ‘soon enough’, it’s a question of how much money the BJP has thrown to win the mandate. That’s the question.”

“Out of 5 states, BJP won two, we won three. In two of the states we won democracy is being undermined by them, using financial power and money.

It is not about how soon they went, but with how much money the BJP went to steal the mandate of Goa & Manipur pic.twitter.com/yWMVpOQr6J — Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) March 14, 2017

12.45 pm: Congress’ Abhishek Manu Singhvi tells reporters after the Supreme Court hearing: “Manohar Parrikar is CM of Goa for two days, if BJP can’t show majority they won’t be allowed to form a government.”

12.30 pm: BJP’s Nitin Gadkari denies any horse-trading in Goa, says BJP discussed with non-BJP MLAs who had some conditions and that support was unanimous. “Congress was not able to choose a leader due to their internal tussle and they are blaming us for it,” he says.

12.10 pm: Supreme Court orders floor test on March 16 and refuses to stay today’s swearing-in ceremony of Manohar Parrikar.

11.50 am: Finance minister Arun Jaitley takes additional charge as defence minister.

11.45 am: ANI reports that the Supreme Court has ordered a floor test in Goa assembly today.

11.35 am: The top court asks both parties to name the leader who can be an interim speaker.

11.30 am: Supreme Court indicates holding an immediate floor test and not within 15 days as ordered by the governor.

11.15 am: You had the entire night, the best time, to get affidavits ready or present your supporters before us: SC to Congress

11.13 am: The SC told the Congress counsel that “you should have stood on dharna to point out the wrongdoing. A layman would have taken 21 persons with him.”

Cong tells court governor can't nullify the people's mandate and not even give a call to the largest party #GoaElection2017 @htTweets — bhadra sinha (@BhadraSinha) March 14, 2017

11.05 am: The Supreme Court was hearing a Congress petition to stall Manohar Parrikar’s swearing-in as the Goa chief minister. The former defence minister is expected to be sworn in as the CM in a ceremony later in the day.

10.15 am: A Congress MP from Assam, Ripun Bora, tells ANI, “BJP is doing horse-trading in Manipur, they are murdering democracy all over the country. We got information that BJP hijacked 5-6 Congress MLAs and took them to Guwahati.”

10.10 am: Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh to appear in the case challenging appointment of Manohar Parrikar as Goa chief minister in the Supreme Court, reports ANI.

10.00 am: Congress MLA from Goa tells ANI that the party’s “decision-making was slow” despite winning the most number of seats in the election. “It was a failure on part of the Congress leadership that no individual was identified.”

9.30 am: Congress submits an adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha over the issue of government formation in Goa and Manipur.

Follow live updates from the Parliament as the budget session resumes today.

9.16 am: Nifty moves above 9,000 points in pre-open trade for the first time since March 4, 2015 after BJP wins election in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

9.00 am: Congress leader Digvijaya Singh says that the single-largest party must be called to form government and the governor has to act according to constitutional rules. “In Delhi, when BJP was largest party they were called to form government but they refused, that’s when AAP was invited so the AAP-Congress coalition formed the government,” he says.

8.00 am:Congress Legislative Party to meet at the party’s headquarters in Panaji. All Congress MLAs along with Digvijaya Singh will meet the Governor after the meeting.Later today, the Supreme Court will hear a Congress petition to stall Manohar Parrikar’s swearing-in as the Goa chief minister.