Issue notice to Kamat and Lobo over disqualification plea, Congress to Goa Speaker

Panaji, July 12 The Congress on Tuesday requested Goa Assembly Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar to issue notices to former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and former Leader of Opposition Michael Lobo, against whom it has filed disqualification petitions over "anti-party activities".

"We had filed our disqualification petition yesterday (on Monday). It was under scrutiny and the Speaker had asked us to remain present today (Tuesday) for hearing," state Congress chief Amit Patkar said.

Congress had removed Lobo as Leader of Opposition alleging he is one who hatched conspiracy, along with former Chief Minister Kamat, with the BJP to split Congress MLAs.

Advocate Abhijeet Gosawi, representing Congress, said that both leaders by their conduct have demonstrated that they have voluntarily given up the membership of political party. "Speaker held a preliminary hearing today. He heard us for some time. We have requested the Speaker to issue notices to both MLAs," he said.

Patkar had earlier noted that the Supreme Court judgment says anti-party activities amount to voluntarily giving up of party membership, and the party had evidence against both to prove that both were involved in anti-party activities and were trying to split MLAs.

The Speaker told reporters that petition will be processed as per law. "At present, we are busy with the Assembly session. We are busy now," he said.

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