It’s part of the BJP’s ‘Operation Kichad’, said the Congress after its eight Goa MLAs defected to the saffron party on Wednesday. The grand old party, reduced to just three MLAs, claimed the “break” was fast-tracked because of the visible success of its Bharat Jodo Yatra.

Former chief minister Digambar Kamat along with Leader of Opposition Michael Lobo, Delilah Lobo, Rajesh Phaldesai, Kedar Naik, Sankalp Amonkar, Aleixo Sequeira and Rudolf Fernandes joined the BJP in the presence of Goa CM Pramod Sawant. The saffron party now has 33 MLAs in the 40-member Assembly.