Porvorim (Goa) Goa Legislative Assembly today passed a motion congratulating NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind for being elected as the President of India.
BJP legislator Glen Ticlo moved the motion on the floor of the House during ongoing monsoon session today, which was supported by all the members including opposition benches.
“There is a link of Kovidji to Goa. When he was down in Goa to meet the legislators he told me that he is operating his office from the bunglow in Delhi which I was allotted as a defence minister,” Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said speaking on the motion.
He thanked Kovind for visiting Goa and having dialogue with the legislators. “His visit to Goa made a difference. That may be the reason why some opposition MLAs also voted for him. They (opposition) must have felt that Kovind gave them respect by coming to Goa to campaign,” Parrikar said.
The BJP leader pointed out that Congress candidate Meira Kumar had invited Congress legislators from Goa to meet her in Mumbai during the campaigning.
In the results that were announced yesterday, it was found that three Congress legislators had cross voted, while two votes were invalid, which decreased the tally of the opposition votes.
While hailing Kovind, Parrikar termed him as a studious person who has an impressive knowledge about law. “Kovindji is a person suitable for the post of President of India,” he said.
Speaking on the motion, Goa Forward party legislator and State minister Vijai Sardesai said that selection of candidate by NDA itself made a difference. “Even Congress legislators voted for him,” he said.
The minister said that the voting pattern from Goa during the Presidential poll indicates that a group of Congress legislator is ever willing to switch over to ruling side in the State.
“The results should lay to rest any speculations about instability in Manohar Parrikar led government. In fact, there is a camp in Congress which is willing to join us. The government is absolutely stable,” he said.
Team TNV