LIVE Updates | Pramod Sawant Set to be Next Goa Chief Minister, To Take Oath Tonight, Say Sources

BJP’s Pramod Sawant willl be sworn in the new chief minister of Goa on Monday, party sources said. The swearing in ceremony will take place tonight, an official said here. He will succeed Manohar Parrikar, who died Sunday after battling pancreatic cancer and was cremated with state honours here Monday evening.

Sawant is now Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly. As per the power-sharing arrangement reached with allies, an MLA each from two small parties backing BJP in the coastal state will be made deputy chief minister, party sources said. They are Goa Forward Party chief Vijai Sardesai and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party MLA Sudin Dhavalikar.

Pramod Sawant’s late night swearing-in ceremony is aimed at beating Governor Mridula Sinha’s midnight deadline to have a chief minister government in place. Else she would have had to place the state assembly under suspended animation and recommend President’s rule.

BJP president Amit Shah Monday said his party is holding discussion with its allies in Goa to decide the new chief minister and will soon meet the Governor to stake claim to form government.

Shah was in Goa to attend the funeral of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who died at 63 Sunday after battling pancreatic cancer. The BJP president also met local party leaders in a star hotel here along with Union minister Nitin Gadkari. “The process to form new government will continue now. Senior BJP leader and Union minister Nitin Gadkari is here. We are in discussion with both the coalition parties (GFP and MGP) and also independent MLAs,” Shah said.

“In some time from now, after discussing with them, the decision on the new chief minister would be taken. And like the Parrikar-led government, this BJP-led coalition, too, will work for the welfare of Goans,” he said.

Shah said Gadkari, the BJP’s Goa in-charge, will talk to all the coalition partners to clear the way to form new government.

“He will meet the Governor along with all supporting groups to stake claim to form new government,” Shah said. The Goa Forward Party (GFP), the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), three MLAs, and an equal number of Independents are part of the BJP-led ruling coalition in the state.

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