Panaji, Mar 21 (PTI) Pramod Sawant was on Monday unanimously elected the leader of the BJP legislature party in Goa, paving the way for him to take over as the chief minister for a second term, and soon after the ruling party staked a claim to form the new government with support from two MGP MLAs and three Independent legislators.
The BJP, which won 20 seats in the 40-member Assembly, submitted letters of support from the MGP, Goa’s oldest regional party, and three Independents MLAs to Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai, who invited Sawant to form the next government.
“I am satisfied that 25 MLAs are supporting the claim of Dr Pramod Sawant. Accordingly, I hereby invite you to be appointed as the chief minister of Goa. You will assume office after administration of oath,” the Governor said after receiving the letters.
Earlier in the day, Sawant’s name for the top post was cleared at a meeting of the newly elected BJP MLAs and senior party leaders in Panaji in the evening.
The meeting was also attended by BJP central observers Narendra Singh Tomar and L Murugan, Assembly poll in-charge Devendra Fadnavis and the party’s state unit president, Sadanand Shet Tanavade.
“It has been decided that Dr Pramod Sawant would be the leader of the House,” Tomar told reporters after the meeting.
Tomar said MLA Vishwajit Rane proposed Sawant’s name as the leader of the BJP legislature party. His proposal was seconded by other MLAs, including Mauvin Godinho and Rohan Khaunte.
Tomar said Sawant’s election was unanimous.
He said the party will now stake a claim to form the next government in Goa.
The BJP won 20 seats, just one short of majority in the 40-member Assembly, in the February 14 polls. PTI RPS VT RSY RSY
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.