"It's Operation Kichad": Congress After Goa Collapse, 8 Of Its 11 MLAs Join BJP

Quips and wordplay flew from all sides in Goa and beyond, including the defecting MLAs who said they were unhappy with the Congress leadership

The Congress today deployed some wordplay in defence after the embarrassing defection of eight of its 11 MLAs in Goa to the BJP. "It's Operation Kichad (Mud)," said party spokesperson Pawan Khera, playing on 'Operation Lotus' — named after the BJP poll symbol — often used for BJP's splintering of Opposition parties.  आज भाजपा ने फिर साबित कर दिया कि वह सिर्फ़ तोड़ना जानती है। हमारी #भारत_जोड़ो_यात्रा से बौखलाई भाजपा ने गोवा में ऑपरेशन कीचड़ को अंजाम दिया। भारत देख रहा है।वो तोड़ेंगे; हम जोड़ेंगे pic.twitter.com/S5SfF9JqUK Operation Kichad of BJP in Goa has been fast tracked because of the visible success of the #BharatJodoYatra. BJP is nervous. A daily dose of diversion & disinformation is handed out to undermine the Yatra. We remain undeterred. We will overcome these dirty tricks of the BJP. . @INCGoa legislature party, today merged with the BJP with 8 out of 11 MLAs formally joining the party, In the presence of State President Shri @ShetSadanand, CM @DrPramodPSawant, General Secretaries Shri @NSawaikar, Shri @DamuNaik and Vice President Shri @BabuKavlekarpic.twitter.com/YcUNLrlhwV

"We knew this could happen," he said at a press conference in Delhi, "The BJP used all kinds of tactics — central probe agencies, threats by goons, lure of money — to do this, because it is rattled by the Bharat Jodo Yatra." He also released a video in Hindi on Twitter.

The party, reduced to three MLAs in a House of 40, said the BJP is afraid of the "visible success" of Rahul Gandhi's ongoing Yatra (Unite India March), and that's why it had "fast-tracked" its Goa operation.