Cong toppled many govts by using provision of Prez rule: Amit Shah

Panaji: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah on Sunday hit back at Digvijaya Singh, who has been attacking the saffron party over government formation in Goa, accusing the Congress of "misusing" the provision of President's Rule in the past.

"Digvijayaji look at the deeds of your party! In the history of our country's democracy, the number of governments the Congress has toppled misusing Article 356 (which has provision for the President's Rule), no other parties would have done that," Shah said.

He said his party formed the government in Goa through "democratic methods" allowed in the Constitution.

"I want to ask Digvijaya Singh whether his party had even elected its leader when legislators under the leadership of (BJP-incharge for Goa) Nitin Gadkari staked claim before the Governor to form the next government," he asked after being felicitated here at a public rally.

BJP had won 13 seats in the elections, eight less than its 2012 tally. The party, though finished second to Congress (17), cobbled up an alliance with local parties and Independents.

It successfully proved its majority under Manohar Parrikar in the 40-member House eventually.

Shah said the Constitution provides that in case of a fractured mandate the party with maximum support can stake claim to form the government.

"BJP was the first party which produced support letters of 21 legislators before the Governor," he said.

He assured Goans that BJP will give a stable government with coalition partners. "The government will be dedicated to the development of the state," he said.

Before taking over as the Chief Minister, Parrikar was serving as the Defence Minister in the Modi Cabinet.

Praising Parrikar, Shah said the country will remember him as the "most successful" defence minister who sorted out the vexed One-Rank-One-Pension (OROP) issue.

"The issue of OROP which dragged for several years was solved by Parrikar within a year which provided solace to the armed forces. Total Rs 8,000 crore was disbursed to the ex-servicemen," he said.

The BJP chief also credited Parrikar for "modernisation of the armed forces and surgical strike which established India as one of the powerful nations".

"Modi-Parrikar duo has shown to the world that we do need peace with the neighbours but we will not tolerate any insult to our armed forces", he said.

Shah said Goa would be a model state under Parrikar's leadership.