The Congress has accused the two MLAs of hobnobbing with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party to bring about a split in the opposition party.
The vote share of the Congress, which won 11 assembly seats in Goa this time, plunged by nearly five per cent as compared to what it was in the previous election, while the BJP, which retained power in the coastal state, saw a marginal rise in it, the data shared by the Election Commission shows.
While none of the five 'rebel' MLAs were available for comments, sources in the BJP claimed the legislators were in touch with them.
State Congress chief Girish Chodankar told reporters that AAP leaders were 'already in talks with Congress leaders'.
All the candidates checked in the resort on Tuesday evening with their luggage, indicating that the government formation may be a long haul.
According to sources, the Goa Congress unit has not held a single meeting after it failed to reach the majority mark of 21 in the 40-member assembly.
Congress veteran P Chidambaram held a meeting with the Goa assembly poll candidates of his party and those of ally Goa Forward Party on Wednesday night, where it was decided that the alliance will name its leader immediately after the election results are out and stake claim for government formation, sources said.
He said his supporters were apprehensive that joining TMC would invite the "outside party" to Goa which will split votes.
In yet another jolt the Congress ahead of the Goa Assembly polls, the party's state working president, Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, resigned as member of the legislative assembly on Monday, reducing the party's strength to two in the 40-member House.
Rane did not rule out the possibility of joining the BJP, saying 'all options are open'.
The Congress won 17 seats in Goa, only four short of the magic figure to form the government. Soon after the results threw up a hung assembly, Independent candidate Rohan Khaunte had extended support to the party.
Two days after the first list of candidates was announced, the Congress in Goa is facing rebellion within the party as the aspirants who were denied tickets have decided to part ways with the organisation.
"In all, 22 of us (including 18 MLAs) met party chief and presented our view that we have majority in the state assembly," Pratapsinh Rane said.
A day before being tabled in Goa legislative assembly, the Manohar Parrikar-led Public Accounts Committee report on illegal mining in the state has run into controversy after Congress party legislators on the committee refused to sign it on Tuesday.
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