Panaji, Sep 14 (IANS): Former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat on Wednesday said it was under God's guidance that he decided to quit Congress and join BJP.

"God told me 'you take the decision, I am with you'. Hence I decided to join BJP," the senior politician said.

He was responding to a question on the oath taken before God that he will never leave the Congress and will remain loyal. Kamat said that God has supported his current decision.

"I have faith in God. I again went before God and shared the entire situation and sought his guidance. He then told me to take a decision saying 'I am there with you'," Kamat told reporters here.

Notably, ahead of the February 2022 Assembly polls, the Congress party candidates had taken oath before temples, church and dargah that they will not leave the party after getting elected and will always remain loyal. Kamat had taken the lead to give this oath to the candidates, video of which is going viral after eight Congress MLAs switched over to BJP.

Earlier, on July 10, 2019, during the last term of BJP government, 10 MLAs of Congress along with Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavalekar had switched to BJP. Hence to dilute that issue and to reassure people that their MLAs will not defect, Congress had organised 'oath' taking programs before election.

"I went back to the temple and I asked God and goddess what I should do. We have a system of taking Prasada. The God said go ahead don't worry," Kamat further said.

'Prasad' is traditionally practiced in Goa from ancient times, asking Gods and Goddess about different problems and their solutions through Priest. This is practiced in many temples of Goa. Devotees take this 'prasad' before doing any good work and also seek solutions to their problems.

Digambar Kamat, Michael Lobo, Delilah Lobo, Kedar Naik, Sankalp Amonkar, Rajesh Faldesai, Aleixo Sequeira and Rudolf Fernandes are the eight legislators who have switched parties.