Team Herald
PANJIM: Dr Pramod Sawant is most likely to be retained as Chief Minister of Goa. While there has been no official announcement, a detailed discussion by the Bharatiya Janata Party central leadership, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is learnt to have approved Sawant’s name for the top post.
Sawant, however, remained tightlipped on being asked if his name for the post of CM has been confirmed. While refusing to reply to the query, he only stated that he met the PM to seek his blessings. “I had to meet him after the poll results,” he said on being quizzed by the media in Delhi.
He said that he had met PM and other union ministers adding that the PM’s blessings have been on Goa and gave him the credit for continuing the double engine government in Goa.
Party insiders told Herald that at the meeting, also attended by BJP National president J P Nadda, election in-charge for Goa Devendra Fadnavis, Goa desk in-charge C T Ravi, BJP State president Sadanand Shet Tanavade and organisational secretary Satish Dhond held in the Parliament office in Delhi, PM Modi hailed Sawant’s functioning.
“PM was impressed by his work carried out during his short stint as CM as well as during the 2022 Assembly election campaign. Sawant’s work profile and bond with the people of Goa was applauded by all in the meeting. Hence, he is being retained as CM,” sources said.
The swearing in ceremony is slated to be held on March 21 or 22.
Sources further said that Fadnavis had proposed Sawant’s name for the CM’s chair soon after the results amid the buzz that Valpoi MLA Vishwajit Rane was purportedly lobbying in Delhi to take over the reins of the State for the next five years. Rane’s MLA wife Deviya Rane too had indirectly extended her support for a leadership change, speaking outside the Assembly complex on the day the newly-elected MLAs were sworn in on Tuesday.
Fadnavis said that the announcement on the Goa leadership will be made soon by the party. Talking to the media in New Delhi, Fadnavis said that the party
leaders conducted a review of performance in Goa elections during the meetings in the national capital.
The Goa BJP leaders also met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari among others after the meeting with PM Modi.
In the recent elections, BJP returned with a comfortable 20 seats in the 40-member Legislative Assembly. With MGP and three Independents extending support to the BJP, the strength of the incoming government stands at 25.
In the discussion on the formation of a new government, which will be the third straight term of BJP, Sawant also discussed the new cabinet.
Mauvin Godinho, Nilesh Cabral, Vishwajit Rane, Govind Gaude, Ravi Naik, Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, Atanasio Monserrate, Ramesh Tawadkar and Sudin Dhavalikar, and first time MLA Dr Chandrakant Shetye are expected to be inducted in the cabinet.
With Dhavalilar’s entry in the next cabinet, BJP has confirmed accepting the support of the MGP, whose move to come to power has been vehemently opposed by various BJP MLAs and mandals in Goa.
It is pertinent to note that Sawant had met PM Modi in New Delhi on March 8 ahead of the poll results while Vishwajit Rane had called on the Goa Governor sparking speculation of his intention to become Goa’s next CM.
On Monday, Tanavade had said that the new government will take oath after Holi, which falls on March 18.
The BJP has already appointed Union Ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and L Murugan as the observer and co-observer respectively for the selection of the leader of the legislature party in Goa, who will be the next chief minister.
The new CM’s name is most likely to be officially announced after that meeting. The two ministers whose arrival was scheduled on Wednesday was postponed owing to the meeting in Delhi. They are likely to visit the State on Thursday accompanied by the BJP leaders currently stationed in Delhi.
