After a day of deliberation, CM takes oath.
After a day of intense political activities, BJP's Pramod Sawant has been sworn in as the Chief Minister of Goa well after midnight. Sawant was the speaker of the Assembly when Manohar Parrikar was CM. Initially, the swearing-in ceremony was scheduled to be held at 11 PM Monday, but it got postponed as last-minute negotiations were going on. The political power game took place even as Goa was mourning the death of its favourite son Manohar Parrikar.
BJP in-charge for Goa Nitin Gadkari was present at Raj Bhawan when Sawant took oath. In total, 11 leaders including Sudin Dhavalikar of Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and Vijai Sardesai of Goa Forward Party, took oath at the Raj Bhavan as cabinet ministers.
MJP's Manohar Ajgaonkar, BJP's Mauvin Godinho, Vishwajit Rane, Milind Naik and Nilesh Cabral, Goa Forward Party's Vinod Palyekar and Jayesh Salgaonkar & Independent MLAs Rohan Khaunte and Govind Gawade also took oath at the Raj Bhavan as state cabinet minister
Dhavalikar and Sardesai are expected to take the role of Deputy CM in the Sawant government.
Before taking oath, Sawant thanked his party for this big responsibility and paid rich tributes to Manohar Parrikar who passed away after long battle with cancer on Sunday.
Pramod Sawant: Party has given me a huge responsibility, I will try my best to carry it out in the best possible manner. Whatever I am today is all due to Manohar Parrikar. It was he who brought me to politics, I became the Speaker and the CM today, due to him. #Goa pic.twitter.com/Y6pBz3rbsL
— ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2019
1. Pramod Sawant emerged as the popular choice after hectic parleys
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After Parrikar's untimely death succumbing to pancreatic cancer on Sunday, BJP had to scramble to get its house in order and elect a new CM after placating allies as Congress made a renewed bid to form government in the state. Zee Media had reported on Monday afternoon that BJP's Pramod Sawant is becoming the Chief Minister of Goa after the tragic demise of Manohar Parrikar.
However not all were on board with the decision at that time and it took hectic meetings to iron out all differences.
2. Gadkari instrumental in cracking the deal
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Nitin Gadkari late at night said that they will go to the Governor and will stake claim to form government in the state. From Sunday evening, he was busy in consultation with allies to find an acceptable solution.
Goa Forward Party and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party both has three MLAs each, and there are 3 independents along with 12 BJP MLAs which makes the alliance reach magic figure of 21.
"We are yet to reach a consensus (with allies) on a candidate for the CM's post. We are in talks with our alliance partners, Gadkari said earlier on Monday. However, he was visibly a relieved man when BJP with its allies went to Raj Bhawan to stake claim.
3. Pramod Sawant-next generation leader of BJP
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Only 45 years old, Pramod Sawant is a prominent next-generation leader of BJP. An ayurvedic doctor by profession, Sawant represents Sanquelim constituency of the state. The policy of appointing relatively young leaders as CM have worked wonders for BJP in several state. The party will hope for the same here.
He is close to RSS and his wife is also an important part of BJP machinery.
After taking oath, he said:
Newly-appointed Goa CM Pramod Sawant: I have to provide a stability & 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 Parrikar ji but I will definitely try to work as much as possible. pic.twitter.com/BImogFkxp0
— ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2019
4. Congress cries foul as BJP takes lead in forming next Goa Government
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The Congress Monday accused the BJP of creating an "artificial majority" in Goa at the directions of the Centre, and urged Governor Mridula Sinha to invite the opposition party to form a government as it was the single largest party.
Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said in New Delhi, "I will like to attract the attention of whole country as well as the media that democracy should be established (in Goa). And governors, who sit on the position of a judge, should take correct decision.
"The one who has a majority should form a government. It is not right for democracy if artificial majority is created as per the directions of central government," he told a press conference. On Governor Sinha not responding to the Congress' demand for allowing it to form a government in the state, Azad said, "The governor should work as a governor and not for a party." He also referred to the last Assembly elections in the state and mentioned that the Congress emerged as the single largest party and tried form a government.
"What we tried before, we are trying again. When elections happened in Goa, the Congress emerged as the number one party. The BJP got fewer seats (than Congress). Now, the BJP's MLA count has gone down (further). BJP's MLA count is 11 and Congress's is 14. We have three MLAs more as compared to them," he told reporters.
All the 14 Congress MLAs, led by Leader of the Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar, went to Raj Bhawan and handed over a letter to Sinha, saying it was the single largest party in the Assembly and should be allowed to form the government.
