Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Manohar Parrikar on Tuesday took oath as the 13th chief minister of Goa, even though the state Assembly is scheduled to hold a Supreme Court-ordered floor test on Thursday.
“Manohar Parrikar is the CM of Goa for two days,” said Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi. “If the BJP can’t show majority, they won’t be allowed to form a government.” Singhvi made the statement during the second leg of the Budget session in Parliament, which was rocked by allegations and counter-allegations about the tussle between the two parties in Goa and Manipur.
The top court on Monday had agreed to hear an urgent petition filed by the Congress, challenging Parrikar’s appointment as the Goa CM. However, the bench has allowed Parrikar to be sworn in on Tuesday.
The Congress has claimed in its plea that it should have been invited first to form a government in the state, since it was now the single largest party in the Assembly. During the hearing on Tuesday, the party alleged that the BJP was engaging in horse trading and violating established constitutional practices.
Parrikar resigned from his post as the Union Defence Minister on Monday to form a government in his home state. Parrikar, 61, has served as the Goa CM several time before. His last term was cut short when he was given the Defence Ministry portfolio in November 2014. He had been succeeded by Laxmikant Parsekar.
The BJP won 13 of the state’s 40 Goa Assembly seats, while the Congress won 17. However, the BJP claims the support of three Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party MLAs, three Goa Forward Party MLAs and two Independent legislators.
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