TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Almost ten days after winning Goa Assembly polls with one short of majority, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will on Monday call on Governor PS Sreedharan Pillai and formally stake claim to form the next government in the State. The meeting with the Governor will be held soon after electing the legislative party leader in presence of Central Observers and leaders.
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The party has decided to hold a grand swearing-in ceremony of the new Government any day from March 23-25 at Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee stadium that is likely to be attended by several Central leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Caretaker Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant, who arrived in Goa this morning, post meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Party president JP Nadda Saturday night, chaired party’s core committee meeting in Panjim.
Addressing media persons post meeting, Sawant said that BJP Central observer Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and L Murugan will be arriving in Goa on Monday to hold legislative party meeting to elect its leader. “In tomorrow’s meeting, government formation process and swearing in date will be finalized,” Sawant said.
BJP legislative party meeting is scheduled at 4.00pm on Monday, which will be also attended by BJP Goa desk in-charge CT Ravi and Election in-charge Devendra Fadnavis.
The BJP emerged as the single largest party in Goa winning 20 seats in the 40-member state Assembly and decimated Congress to 11 seats. While elections for Goa along with four other States were held in February 14, counting took place on March 10.
Independent candidates Antonio Vas, Chandrakant Shetye and Alex Reginald Lourenco vouched their support to the saffron party, whose tally stood at 23.
Later addressing a press conference, BJP State President Sadanand Shet Tanavade said that post electing legislative party leader, BJP will call on Governor for government formation.
When asked whether party has received support from MGP, Tanavade said “Central leaders are in talks with parties…I have spoken to independent MLAs only”. He responded in same, when questioned whether Goa Forward Party (GFP) is in talks for merger. “Only independent candidates are in touch with State leaders…central leaders are dealing with parties,” he commented.
He said that party has proposed to hold mega event to sworn-in new Government, which will be any day from March 23-25. “The event will be held at Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee stadium…several central leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi might attend it,” he said.
Tanavade said that the date of swearing in will be decided in Monday meeting.
