alone. Welcome to reality cheque. In 2017, just five years of over, the Congress emerged as the single largest party in Goa, winning 17 seats. But by 2019, 15 of their, um, lass had defected, a bulk of them to the BJP. As you can see on that picture on your screen ahead of the 2022 elections, the Congress made much of how they will avoid an action replay. In an unusual display of political cater Congress candidates, the presence of Rahul Gandhi often were made to take pledges in temples, mosques and churches that they will not defect. They way the way when he interviewed some of those Congress candidates that you just saw on that pledge like the North go a strong wind, Michael Lobo, whether they would honour the pledge. This is what they said. We have taken on both the for God. I have taken oath before the Mama Lakshmi. We went to our Holy Cross Church in in Bamba limb, and we have taken a vote there. We have taken an oath in my election before the temple, and we have asked that keepers together and all of us have all hours have given a vow that we will stand by the party no matter what is the result. Today afternoon though, seven months later Mr Lobo was amongst the eight Congress Um last eight of 11. By the way that crossed over to the BJP, including Mr Global's wife as well as the former Congress Chief Minister Dig Gambar Comac. Today Mr Lobo was singing a very different you. We have joined to strengthen the hands of the Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Going to promote heart stronger bargaining the army in a cerise Guyana What Congress, people Congress showed. Oh, BJP Joe says Michael Lobo now and again the Gambar Kamat This was Mr Combat earlier and this was him today they are not in secure after what happened last time with defections know last time we were also secured it or not like that last time. What happened here is a murder of democracy. See, in democracy it is the people's mandate For five years people give you a mandate rightly were wrongly You have to learn to respect the people's mandate. That is the beauty of democracy. If you don't respect the people's mandate then there is no Democrats faction leader of Congress party with and imagine. Ghulam Nabi Azad general resigns along to an agent later, later Congress programme and the normally opposition Lotus of this nature is to make up the BJP's numbers when it falls short. This time, though, the BJP and his allies were already in a majority in Goa with 25 MB last, which is for over the halfway mark a total assembly strength of 40 Now, with eight more there at 33 in the 40 member go assembly, the opposition is just down to seven. Um last. With all of this, the BJP would have carried out a vast number of these opposition lotus and defections since they came too far. My colleague Mariam Alevi put together this estimate based on publicly available information, and the accounts suggest at a total of 167 MB lass may have defected to the BJP. Since 2014, when the Modi government came to power and seven MPs have crossed over to the BJP. The Congress forms the large just group in this about 100 of the 167 MB lass who crossed over to the BJP are from the Congress is we said these are estimates based on media reports, the actual figure, maybe even higher. This is some of the chronology of the big operation Lotus. Lots of them lass have joined in the middle, but big ones in 2015 in Assam him Monta Biswas Arma crossed over with nine congress glass and joined the BJP today is the chief minister of the state from the BJP Arunachal Pradesh in 2016. Cmp Macondo, 43 Other congressman last joined the BJP ally some of time or later go on to join the BJP itself in Manipur. The ex Congress Chief Minister Barin Sing joined the BJP in 26 17 Despite falling short in the Goa and Manipur assembly elections, BJP formed the government with smaller parties in both those states in 2019 and Karnataka 13 Congress and CJD. MLA joined the BJP government of Kumara Swamy was toppled in Goa 12 Congress. MME. Last joined the BJP in that year in Maharashtra 20 Congress a bigger part in 21 Congress. MLA, along with a bunch of NCP MME lass and a member of Parliament from the Congress joined the BJP ahead of the elections again in West Bengal ahead of the elections. A t M seem last one t m c M p joined the BJP Andhra Pradesh for T v P M ps during the BJP in 2020 the Big Cohen, Madhya Pradesh, Joe Teradata Scindia crossing over with 22 Congress, MME. Lass, the government of Kamal Nath being toppled in West Bengal, Sue Window, Adhikari and five other TMC MLA joined the BJP and in 2022 in this year, you've already had six JD MLA and A T M C MLA joining the BJP in Manipur. And of course, today with eight Congress, Um, last joining the P. J.
