Panaji: The BJP’s Pramod Sawant took oath as the new Chief Minister of Goa at about 2 am on Tuesday as the nation mourned for his predecessor Manohar Parrikar.
Manohar Parrikar lost a long battle to pancreatic cancer and passed away on Sunday.
Party chief Amit Shah stepped in and resolved negotiations with BJP allies in Goa. The swift chain of events ended with a hasty midnight swearing-in ceremony.
Two Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) lawmakers switched to BJP and hence gave them the necessary majority and squashed the majority claim of Congress in the seaside state.
The BJP now has 14 lawmakers in the 40-member assembly and has a narrow majority of 20 in the 36-member assembly. The Congress has 15 members, four short of the majority mark. Four seats are vacant after the death of two BJP members (including Manohar Parrikar) and the resignation of two Congress lawmakers.
Pramod Sawant took oath along with ministers in his 12-member cabinet for Goa that included his two deputies. Sudin Dhavalikar of the MGP and Vijay Sardesai of the Goa Forward Party are the new deputy Chief Ministers.
“I will not be able to work as much as Manohar Parrikar ji but I will definitely try to work as much as possible,” Mr Sawant said.
Pramod Sawant with Manohar Parrikar (File Photo)
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Ms Kalinga