Panaji: Dayanand Sopte and Subhash Shirodkar, the two Congress leaders resigned from the party after a meeting Amit Shah in New Delhi on Tuesday (October 16). 

According to sources, the two leaders now joined the BJP. The switch of the two legislators has left a massive blow to the Congress party. With 16 lawmakers, it was the single largest party in the 40-member assembly. Tuesday’s exit depletes its strength to 14 MLAs, on par with the BJP.
 
Dayanand Sopte addressed the reporters that he is going on a business trip when asked in the airport.
 
“Both the Congress MLAs will be resigning from the Congress party on Tuesday and will be joining the BJP,” said a senior party leader.
 
The Goa Congress currently has 16 MLAs in the legislative Assembly with two resigning from the party, the strength would be reduced to 14.

Before the resignations of Sopte and Shirodkar, the Congress was the single largest party in the 40-member state Assembly with 16 MLAs. Whereas the Parrikar government has the support of 23 MLAs comprising 14 BJP MLAs, three each from the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party the Goa Forward Party and as well as three Independents.