Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday proved the majority of his BJP-led government in the Assembly, comfortably winning a floor test in the House. Twenty MLAs voted for the motion of confidence in the two-day old government, while 15 opposed it.
The special session of the House was convened by Governor Mridula Sinha to conduct the floor test, after Sawant was sworn in as the CM during wee hours of Tuesday. Besides 11 members from BJP, three each from Goa Forward Party, MGP and Independents supported Sawant during the head count conducted in the House.
The Assembly session was presided over by Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo. All the 14 MLAs of Congress and one from NCP stood up against the motion.
After winning the trust vote, Sawant appealed all the members to join hands with him to ensure that developmental work reaches every nook and corner of the state.
The change in leadership in the coastal state was necessitated due to the death of then CM Manohar Parrikar on Sunday.
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. 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.
Parrikar was heading a coalition government comprising the BJP, three MLAs each of the Goa Forward Party (GFP), the MGP and three independents. The strength of the House has reduced due to demise of BJP MLA Francis D'Souza earlier this year, and Parrikar on Sunday, and resignations of two Congress MLAs Subhash Shirodkar and Dayanand Sopte last year.
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