Panaji | Pramod Sawant of the Bhartiya Janata Party(BJP) took an oath as the Chief Minister of Goa at 2AM with a ceremony. Stakes had been high for the BJP for gaining a majority after Congress staked its claim to power.
“I have to provide stability and move ahead together with all allies. It’ll be my responsibility to complete the incomplete works. I will not be able to work as much as Manohar Parrikarji but I will definitely try to work as much as possible”, said the new CM Sawant.
The new government has two deputy chief ministers, Goa Forward Party chief Vijai Sardesai and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party MLA Sudin Dhavalikar, from the two small parties backing BJP in the coastal state. They had initially claimed Parrikar’s position.
Apart from the CM and his two deputies, nine other ministers of the state cabinet were also sworn in at the ceremony.
The nine other ministers are Manohar Azgaonkar, Rohan Khaunte, Govind Gaude, Vinod Palienkar, Jayesh Salgaonkar, Mauvin Godinho, Vishwajit Rane, Milind Naik and Nilesh Cabral.
Michael Lobo, currently the deputy speaker, will be speaker till a new one is elected.
After the death of the four-time Goa CM Manohar Parrikar, Nitin Gadkari had arrived in Goa and held meetings with allies till 5.30 am but without any solution.
The political frenzy continued till the state cremation of Manohar Parrikar.
Promod Sawant along with Nitin Gadkari participated in BJP’s claim to power. After a series of meetings involving BJP Chief Amit Shah too, the ceremony was held late at night.
Parrikar was heading a coalition government comprising the BJP, three MLAs each of the Goa Forward Party (GFP), the MGP and three independents. However, the tall leader of BJP managed to keep the coalition running.
The BJP now has 14 lawmakers in the 40-member assembly and has a majority of 20 in the 36-member assembly. Congress has 15 members. Four seats are vacant after the death of two BJP members (including Manohar Parrikar) and the resignation of two Congress lawmakers.
Sawant holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Ayurveda, Medicine and Surgery from Ganga Education Society’s Ayurvedic College in Kolhapur district of Maharashtra. His wife Sulakshana heads the BJP Mahila Morcha in Goa.
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