The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday announced that Pramod Sawant will continue as the chief minister of Goa for another term, PTI reported. Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar made the announcement after a meeting of the BJP Legislature Party in Panaji.
In the recently held state elections, the BJP won 20 seats in the 40-member Assembly and secured support from two MLAs of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and three Independents.
After the announcement, Sawant thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, ANI reported.
“I am glad that the people of Goa have accepted me,” he said. I will do everything possible to work for development of the state.”
Sawant also met Goa Governor PS Sreedharan to formally stake claim to form the government, according to ANI.
“We have submitted the letter of support by 25 MLAs,”Sawant said. “Governor has given us permission to form the government. We will announce the date of the swearing-in ceremony soon after discussing it with the central leadership.”
There had been speculations on BJP’s choice of the chief minister since the elections results were declared on March 10. Party MLA and former health minister Vishwajit Rane had met Goa Governor PS Sreedharan Pillai three days after the results. However, Rane had described the meeting as a “personal visit”.
Sawant had won the Sanquelim constituency by a narrow margin of 666 votes, while Rane won the Poriem Assembly seat by a margin of 13,943 votes.
On Sunday, Goa BJP chief Sadanand Shet Tanavad had said that the swearing-in ceremony of the new government will take place between March 23 and March 25. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior BJP leaders will remain present for the event,” he had said.
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