The Congress Tuesday accused the BJP of "murdering democracy" and democratic traditions in Goa after two of its MLAs quit and joined the ruling party in the state.
Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari also accused the BJP of misusing the official machinery and probe agencies to break other parties, and claimed similar things have also happened in some other states.
"What has happened in Goa now and what has happened in other states before, clearly shows that the BJP has killed democracy and democratic traditions. It continues to do so by misusing the official machinery and probe agencies in an attempt to break other parties," he told reporters.
Tewari said, "The government is misusing the official machinery and this is a perfect example of how to run a government by creating an atmosphere of terror, fear and intimidation."
Two Congress MLAs from Goa, including a former state party chief, joined the BJP Tuesday, dealing a blow to the opposition party in a state where the saffron party-led alliance government enjoys a thin majority.
Subhash Shirodkar and Dayanand Sopte, both of whom have resigned from the assembly, met Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah at his residence in the national capital and were later inducted into the party at a press conference addressed by Union minister Piyush Goyal.
Goyal described Shirodkar, a six-time MLA and former state Congress president, and Sopte, a two-term legislator, as leaders of high stature and popular among the masses, adding that their presence in the BJP would boost its state government's development agenda.
Goa BJP leaders Vishwajit Rane, a minister in the Parrikar government, and Shripad Naik, an MP from the state and a Union minister, were also present at the press conference, with Rane claiming that the Congress in the state is "heading towards a vertical split" due to its MLAs' lack of faith in the leadership of the party's national president Rahul Gandhi.
Rane, who had quit the Congress to join the BJP after the assembly polls in 2017, is seen as one of the contenders for the top post in case the ruling party looks for Parrikar's replacement.
He is believed to have played a key role in winning over the two leaders.
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