'Secret measure in place to deter MLAs from defecting': Girish Chodankar

In order to prevent a repeat of the 2019 ordeal, the Congress party has put in place a 'secret' measure to ensure that its winning candidates do not defect after the results of the Goa assembly elections are announced on March 10.

In the 2017 polls, 17 Congress MLAs got elected to the 40 seat assembly, out of which 13 quit the party to join the BJP until 2019.

Goa Congress president Girish Chodankar has claimed that this time around its 37 candidates have taken oath in front of Hindu, Christian and Muslim deities and they have signed affidavits stating they will not defect from the party throughout their five-year term if elected.

"People of Goa are god fearing. We have taken a social commitment from them (MLA) in temples and the Bambolim cross (a Christian religious site). If they renege, the people of Goa will not spare them. Secondly, we have taken an affidavit from them too," Chodankar said.

"We have also taken a third measure, which we cannot disclose on social media. We have told the candidates what their fate will be even if one of them breaks away. We cannot say this publicly. Everything is ready. People will not agree this time. People will drag them out of their homes and beat them (if they defect)."

In 2017, Congress had emerged as the single-largest party, but it could not form the government. BJP, which bagged 13, allied with some independents and regional parties to form the government. Most of Congress's legislators deserted the party over the next five years to join BJP.