Cong moves in to stop storm of defections in Goa

New Delhi, July 11 : The Congress was fighting a crisis in Goa where its unit is facing a threat of defection after half of the MLAs did not turn up in the legislative party meeting.

The Congress has sent party General Secretary Mukul Wasnik to get the house in order.

The party has blamed former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and Michael Lobo for the situation, and will take action against them.

The development comes on the heels of Maharashtra where the party has sent Mohan Prakash to report to the party high command.

Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole has sought disciplinary action against the errant legislators who may have cross-voted in the MLC polls and also against 11 others, including former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan -- for absenteeism during the Shinde government's vote of confidence on July 4.

Mumbai Congress working president Arif Naseem Khan has pointed out to the party top brass how Chandrakant Handore -- the Congress official candidate was allotted 29 votes against the 26 quota, but secured only 22, indicating a cross-voting by at least seven party MLAs.

Earlier, former CM Prithviraj Chavan had also accused seven Congress MLAs of allegedly cross-voting and demanded action against them.

Last month's fast-paced developments, starting with the Rajya Sabha (June 10) and MLC (June 20) polls saw the erstwhile Maha Vikas Aghadi nominees suffering major reverses with the Bharatiya Janata Party getting advantage on both occasions.

Later, on June 20 the MVA ally Shiv Sena was beset by a sudden revolt that saw the collapse of the 31-month-old government in just 10 days, with the BJP-supported Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis sworn-in on June 30.