One day after Goa Governor Mridula Sinha invited the BJP to form the government in the state, senior Congress leaders such as Digvijaya Singh are coming under attack as they weren't quick to negotiate support from smaller parties and stake claim despite its higher numbers.

Newly elected legislators of the Congress were seen arguing loudly this morning at the Goa Congress office, while senior party leader Digvijaya Singh tried to calm them down.

The Congress had emerged as the single largest party with 17 legislators and reportedly had the support from an independent in the 40-seat assembly. It was just three short of the majority mark of 21. But it was the BJP – which had just 13 legislators – that ended up with the invite.

On Monday evening, the Congress knocked on the Supreme Court's doors in Delhi to stop Manohar Parrikar – who quit as Defence Minister earlier in the day – from taking oath on Tuesday evening.

The petition has argued that the Governor should not have invited the BJP, but the Congress by virtue of the mandate to the party.Back in Goa, state Congress leaders are not too sure if it is too late.

One of the more vocal critics of the party leadership was the Congress leader Vishwajit P Rane, the leader of opposition in the outgoing Goa assembly who many believed was in the running for the chief minister's job.

On their target was the Congress general secretary and the party's in-charge for Goa, Digvijaya Singh, who accused the BJP of buying support.

"Money power has won over people's power. I apologise to the people of Goa as we couldn't muster the support to form the government," Singh tweeted.

Digvijaya has said he will meet the governor on Tuesday. "The normal convention allows the single largest party to be invited first. The Governor should have followed this procedure," he said.

Singh said the Congress wants an opportunity to prove on the floor of the assembly that it has majority support in Goa.

Former Union Minister P Chidambaram had also accused the BJP of stealing the elections.

On Monday, Governor Sinha had invited the BJP's Manohar Parrikar to take oath as Goa chief minister. The Congress has requested her to stop the swearing in ceremony and has also petitioned the Supreme Court to intervene.

Parrikar had met the Governor on Sunday evening to stake claim to form a BJP government. He said he had the support of regional parties the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party or MGP and Goa Forward and also two independents to help the BJP across the 21-seat majority mark.