Congress on Friday staked their claim to form government in Goa and submitted a letter to state Governor Mridula Sinha, seeking an invite to prove majority in the House.

Copy of memorandum submitted to the Goa Governor by @INCGoa MLAs. pic.twitter.com/vfY9cDJilg

— Goa Congress (@INCGoa) May 18, 2018

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@INCGoa submits a memorandum to HE Governor of Goa demanding the restoration of peoples mandate in Goa. pic.twitter.com/8sM6IezuKS

— Goa Congress (@INCGoa) May 18, 2018

Seeking replication of the Karnataka example set by Bharatiya Janata Party, the 13 MLAs of Goa Congress unit met the Governor and submitted the letter.

On Thursday, Congress Legislature Party chief Chandrakant Kavlekar had said that the Goa Governor should follow the precedent set by her Karnataka counterpart and invite the single largest party to form the government “correcting her mistake of March 12, 2017”.

He was referring to the decision of Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala to invite single largest party BJP to form the government after the Assembly election results declared on 15 May.

Also read | Karnataka fallout: Congress to stake claim to form govt in Goa, will meet Governor

In the Assembly elections held in March last year, the Congress had bagged 17 seats in the 40-member House, falling short of the majority figure by four seats.

The BJP, which got 14 seats, formed the government in alliance with Goa Forward Party and MGP, both of which had secured three seats each. Three Independents also went with the BJP.

However, BJP had called Congress’ claims as a “stunt” and had said the opposition party’s “dream” to acquire power in the coastal state will never be fulfilled.

Earlier, BJP state unit president Vinay Tendulkar had said, “The Congress had a chance to form the government after 2017 assembly results. But their legislators and party’s national leaders were busy enjoying stay at a hotel.” He said the Congress should have staked their claim to form government one and half year back after the outcome of the polls.

Also read | Congress decision to stake claim to form government in Goa a stunt: BJP

Ailing Parrikar to return soon

Ailing Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is undergoing medical treatment in the US since March, had earlier said that he would return to his home state in the “next few weeks”.

In the absence of the chief minister, a three-member advisory committee, comprising cabinet ministers, is looking after the day-to-day affairs of the government.

The 62-year-old left for the the United States on 6 March from Mumbai, where he was undergoing treatment at the Lilavati Hospital for a pancreatic ailment.

Parrikar has not been well since 14 February. He was admitted to the state-run Goa Medical College (GMC) after he complained of stomach pain.

He was taken to the Lilavati Hospital for further treatment where he spent around a week before returning to Goa just before the presentation of the state budget on 21 February.

After a few days, he was again admitted again to Lilavati on 5 March before his departure to the US.