india

Updated: Jul 16, 2019 00:04 IST

As many as 400 questions had to be deleted from the record on the first day of Goa assembly’s monsoon session on Monday as the four lawmakers, who had tabled them, have since become ministers. The four include Chandrakant Kavlekar, Filipe Neri Rodrigues, and Jennifer Monserrate, who defected from the Congress to ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In all, 10 Congress lawmakers joined the BJP on Wednesday last.

“Members may be pleased to note that consequent to the reshuffle in the ministry LAQs [legislative assembly questions] tabled in the names of Chandrakant Kavlekar, Michael Lobo, Filipe Neri Rodrigues, Jennifer Monserrate shall stand deleted,’’ said speaker Rajesh Patnekar.

“There could also be issues regarding clubbed and bracketed LAQs… The same is due to events beyond the control of this assembly secretariat and the members are requested to note the same.”

Kavlekar, who was the leader of opposition in the state assembly before his defection, was named as the deputy chief minister. He had on July 2 chaired a meeting of the Congress and resolved to corner the government in the assembly over issues like ongoing protests of taxi operators.

On Monday, Kavlekar took his seat next to chief minister Pramod Sawant.

Congress’s strength in the assembly has now been reduced to five. It is yet to name its leader in the House. Congress lawmaker Reginaldo Lourenço said he has to do his duty and does not care about the numbers they have. “We may be five but we will raise the issues of the people. Each issue will be our responsibility. We have been voted for five years and not to make a mockery of this by jumping sides,” he said.

Separately, Sawant on Monday allocated portfolios to the newly-sworn in ministers in his cabinet. Kavlekar was given the town and country planning and agriculture portfolios.

He has created a separate department for waste management and allocated it to Lobo.

Monserrate will take charge of the revenue and information and technology ministries. Rodrigues has been given water resources and fisheries departments.

The BJP’s strength in the 40-member assembly rose to 27 with the defection of 10 Congress lawmakers.

The 10 constituted two-thirds strength of the Congress, which allowed them to avoid disqualification under the anti-defection law.

The defections ensured that the BJP has a majority on its own. The ministers of BJP’s allies Goa Forward Party and Independents were dropped from the Cabinet. They later withdrew their support to the government.