PANJIM: The newly-inducted eight MLAs, who defected to the BJP from the Congress, are likely to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Monday.
The Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, BJP State President Sadanand Shet Tanavade and MP Vinay Tendulkar along with five MLAs Aleixo Sequeira, Sankalp Amonkar, Delilah Lobo, Kedar Naik and Rudolph Fernandes on Sunday evening left for their two-day visit to Delhi.
The chief minister, who attended an annual meeting of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Sunday, informed about the meeting being fixed with the Prime Minister.
Sawant however said that the appointment with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and party National President JP Nadda is yet to be fixed. “We will meet them and be back on Tuesday,” he said.
The Chief Minister refused to comment when asked whether cabinet reshuffle on cards post Delhi visit.
Speaking to media persons at the Dabolim airport, the Chief Minister said that it was a routine visit to Delhi with the MLAs who were new to the party and to get them familiarised with the party leaders.
It is learnt that Margao MLA Digambar Kamat is already in the national capital while Calangute MLA Michael Lobo is currently in South Africa and Cumbarjua MLA Rajesh Faldesai, who is in Bengaluru would reach Delhi either on Sunday night or early Monday morning and join the delegation.
Earlier on September 14, MLAs Digambar Kamat, Michael Lobo, Delilah Lobo, Kedar Naik, Rajesh Faldesai, Sankalp Amonkar, Rudolf Fernandes and Aleixo Sequeira joined the BJP after passing a resolution in a meeting of the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) to merge the two-third of their legislative wing.
A change in the Sawant-led cabinet is expected post-Delhi visit, wherein two-three cabinet ministers are likely to be dropped to accommodate the new entrants.
