Panaji, Sep 16 (IANS): The BJP's Goa unit on Thursday held a core committee meeting to brief members about new political development and discuss the programmes to be organised on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday on September 17.

Talking to reporters here, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said: "We had convened a meeting to brief about political development to members and programmes to be organised on occasion of Prime Minister's birthday."

On Wednesday, two third of the Congress Legislature Party (eight MLAs) joined the BJP. Former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, Michael Lobo, Delilah Lobo, Kedar Naik, Sankalp Amonkar, Rajesh Faldesai, Aleixo Sequeira and Rudolf Fernandes, are the eight legislators who switched from the grand-old party to the saffron party.

BJP state president Sadanand Tanavade also said that only new political developments and programmes related to Prime Minister's birthday were discussed in the meeting.

"We wanted to brief our members about political development, wherein eight Congress MLAs have joined us. Hence this meeting was convened," Tanavade said.

He said that several programmes have been organised in the state on the occasion of the Prime Minister's birthday.

BJP's senior leader Ramesh Tawadkar, who is also Assembly Speaker, said that they were briefed about how the eight Congress MLAs joined the saffron party.

"In our core committee meeting, we were briefed about the political development that happened on Wednesday. Secondly we discussed programmes to be held on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday," Tawadkar said.