Bharatiya Janata Party leader Manohar Parrikar, who on Monday morning resigned as Defence Minister, will be sworn in as Chief Minister of Goa at Raj Bhavan at 5.15 p.m. on Tuesday.
Mr. Parrikar, along with members of his Cabinet, will be sworn in by Governor Mridula Sinha, said sources in the Goa government here.
According to a Raj Bhavan communication issued here late on Sunday evening, Mr. Parrikar had been asked to prove his majority by convening a session of the Assembly within 15 days of taking oath.
BJP sources reiterated here that a majority of the Cabinet berths are expected to be offered to the coalition partners.
Details being worked out
“The details are still being worked out. We will retain Finance and Home portfolios. Preliminary talks about portfolio allocation with our partners were conducted by Nitin Gadkariji. The finer details are being worked out by Mr. Parrikar himself in consultation with other party leaders,” a senior party leader said on Monday.
After winning 13 seats in the February 4 election, in a fast-paced political development on Sunday, the BJP cobbled together a coalition of 21 legislators in the 40-member House. This includes three MLAs each from regional parties, namely, the MGP and Goa Forward Party and two Independents.
On Monday BJP general secretary Sadanand Tanavade said the third independent Prasad Gaonkar from Sanguem constituency of south Goa had given a letter of support to Mr. Parrikar, addressed to the Goa Governor. This takes the BJP’s strength to 22. The BJP leaders here on Sunday had said the lone NCP MLA Churchill Alemao would also join the alliance in due course.
The Congress which has won 17 seats thereby becoming the single largest party, has called the decision of the Governor as a “murder of legislative democracy.”
The Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM) too has accused the Governor of violating the spirit of the Constitution by allowing the BJP to ‘grab power.’
Undue hurry
Addressing a press conference, GSM president Anand Shirodkar questioned the ‘undue hurry’ shown by the Governor in appointing Mr. Parrikar as Chief Minister. Later party mentor Subhash Velingkar demanded that the Governor be shifted out before she indulges in “more such constitutional improprieties.”
