Congress says they had not receive any response to their memorandum submitted to Mridula Sinha

The Congress in Goa Thursday termed as "illegal" the rejection of a notice given by the party MLAs for removal of Assembly Speaker Pramod Sawant and reiterated the demand for a floor test, claiming the BJP-led the coalition government has lost its majority in House.

Congress leaders also alleged they had not received any response to their memorandum submitted to state Governor Mridula Sinha last month for dismissal of the government and summoning a day-long session so that the Congress can prove it's majority by virtue of being the single largest party.

The Speaker had Wednesday rejected a notice submitted last month by all the 16 MLAs of Congress seeking his removal from the post, saying it is "not maintainable".

The Congress MLAs had not specified any reason for removal of the Speaker in their notice filed on September 21. Addressing a joint press conference here Thursday, party leaders accused the government of being "power drunk" and ignoring the Opposition.

They said the government has lost its majority in the 40-member Assembly. "Our demand to dismiss the government and invite the single largest party, i.e the Congress, to prove its majority in Assembly by calling a day-long session has not been attended to. We have not received any reply from the office of Governor till date," said Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly Chandrakant Kavlekar.

He said, "If the government has numbers, let them prove it on the floor of House. Let people also know". Goa Congress unit president Girish Chodankar said it was surprising that the speaker decided on the notice himself which was for his removal from the post.

"What is surprising is that Speaker himself has decided on the notice against him and rejected it. We strongly condemn this illegal act," he said.

In his order disallowing the notice Wednesday, the speaker had said that such intimation has to be given either when the House is in session or the Assembly is summoned.

Chodankar said the state government's current attitude towards the Opposition is "dangerous for democracy". Congress state unit spokesman and former Union minister Ramakant Khalap said, "as per the law, even a single MLA has the right to move a no-confidence motion against the government.

In the case of Congress, 16 MLAs had issued the notice against the Speaker". Demanding a floor test, the Congress had claimed that there is no coordination among allies of the BJP. Questions over political stability in the coastal state were raised because of ill health of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar who is currently admitted in AIIMS in Delhi.

The BJP, which has 14 MLAs, is ruling the state with the help of Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) which has three MLAs, the Goa Forward Party (GFP), NCP and three Independents.

GFP has three seats and NCP has one. The MGP Wednesday dismissed questions over political stability in Goa but expressed readiness to face mid-term polls in case the Assembly is dissolved.

(With inputs from agencies.)