Goa polls: BJP-MGP combine to stake claim today

Panaji, Mar 7 (ANI): The Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP)-BJP combine will today stake claim to form a government in Goa, along with two Independent legislators.

BJP leader Manohar Parrikar said senior leaders Venkaiah Naidu and Ravi Shankar Prasad will arrive in Goa today to take stock of the situation.

He said the party's legislature wing would be meeting in the afternoon to decide the leader of the group.

Parrikar further lauded the voters of Goa for routing the Congress in the polls.

"It has also decimated Congress. This is another message of the mandate. Goan people have reacted with a very decisive hand. On the one end, it has crippled the hand that was looting the state. On the other end, when it has given us the strength, it is enough to run the government comfortably," he said.

The BJP emerged as the single largest party in the State assembly elections. It bagged twenty one seats along with its combine partner MGP winning three seats out of the total forty seats.

The Congress, which had 16 seats last time, was reduced to nine seats. Its ally NCP, which had three seats last time, was wiped out.

Four members of influential Alemao family Churchill, Joaquim, Valanka and Yuri, who were given tickets by Congress-NCP alliance lost. (ANI)