Following the demise of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, erstwhile assembly speaker, Pramod Sawant will take oath as the new chief minister of Goa.
Along with Sawant, BJP senior leader Nitin Gadkari and other party leaders are at BJP Raj Bhavan.
Earlier there were speculations that there might be two deputy CMs in 40 member assembly of Goa. As per sources, MGP's Sudin Dhavlikar whose name was speculated for deputy CM did not take oath as BJP has convinced two other's from MGP to join BJP.
The chief minister of Goa and former defence minister Manohar Parrikar was laid to rest at Miramar on Monday next to the memorial of the state’s first CM Dayanand Bandodkar.
Thousands of people thronged the streets of the state capital Monday to catch a final glimpse of Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar, who died of a pancreatic ailment, as his mortal remains were brought to the BJP office for party workers to pay their last respects.
Manohar Parrikar, who was elected to the top post of the state, was given a state funeral with full military honours. Meanwhile, BJP has officially announced the appointment of Goa assembly Speaker Pramod Sawant as the new chief minister of the state.
Nitin Gadkari from BJP and leaders from Goa Forward Block and Maharashtravadi Gomantak Party are at Raj Bhavan to stake claim in Goa.
"Whatever I am today it is Manohar Parrikar, he was the one who brought me into politics," said Sawant
Eleven MLAs, part of Parrikar-led cabinet, also sworn in as ministers.
At a much-delayed swearing-in ceremony, held around 2 am Tuesday, BJP's Pramod Sawant was sworn in as the new chief minister of Goa.
The development comes amid the series of meetings undertaken by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari with state alliance partners.
Sawant is a young and dynamic leader who was trusted by Parrikar with the Speaker's job in the house where defection is a usual thing. But, more than that, while he was bedridden, Parrikar always used to send Sawant to attend various public functions in his own place. (READ FULL STORY HERE)
BJP MLA Glenn Ticlo in Panaji: Definitely, one among the 12 of us BJP MLAs should lead the state, it is but obvious. #Goa pic.twitter.com/d6fcVVMlhS
— ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2019
Goa: People gather at BJP office in Panaji to pay last respects to late Goa CM #ManoharParrikar pic.twitter.com/2jQpNMG60R
— ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2019
Prime Minister Narendra Modi to leave for #Goa shortly, to offer last respects to Goa CM #ManoharParrikar who passed away yesterday. pic.twitter.com/adrMxbKmJV
— ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2019
BJP is set to beat the Goa Governor's mid night deadline of having CM in place as Assembly Speaker Promod Sawant will take oath at 11 pm.
Dhavlikar's name was speculated for the Deputy CM's post along with Goa Forward's Vijay Sardesai.
BJP president Amit Shah has said that the saffron party will form government in Goa once the decision on CM face is made.
According to latest reports the swearing in ceremony will now be held at 11 pm.
Goa Speaker Promod Sawant is on his way to Raj Bhawan to submit the paper and is minutes away.
Goa Forward Blocks 's VIjay Sardesai and MGP's Dhavlikar is expected to get Deputy CM's post.
Goa assembly speaker, Pramod Sawant, has been appointed as the new Goa chief minister following the demise of Manohar Parrikar. (READ HERE)
BJP President Amit Shah,Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and BJP Goa MLAs including Pramod Sawant arrive at a Hotel in Panaji for a meeting pic.twitter.com/Wu1DSmE2c2
— ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2019
A consensus eluded the BJP and its allies on the next Goa CM following the demise of Manohar Parrikar, Union minister Nitin Gadkari has said. The BJP, Gadkari said, had zeroed in on the next CM candidate but its allies in the state were yet to get on board. There have been a series of meetings involving the Goa Forward Party and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party's three MLAs each, an equal number of Independents, and BJP legislators since late Sunday night to reach a consensus on Parrikar's successor.
Panaji: Visuals from the last rites ceremony of late Goa Chief Minister #ManoharParrikar. pic.twitter.com/LrdsXHmRuB
— ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2019
Union minister Nitin Gadkari said BJP has decided on legislature wing leader, issue only of allies.
Leader of Opposition in Goa Assembly Chandrakant Kavlekar, who led the Congress delegation on Monday, told Governor Mridula Sinha that the party will prove majority to form the government in the state.
"We met the Governor and staked claim to form the government as we are the single largest party in the state. We have 14 MLAs and we should be given the chance to form the government. We have told that we will prove majority. We are saddened by the demise of Goa Chief Minister," Kavlekar told media after meeting the Governor.
Wikipedia has already designated Pramod Sawant new Goa chief minister. The encyclopaedia has edited page of Pramod Sawant calling him the Goa chief minister. "The Chief Minister who succeeded ex-CM Manohar Parikkar, Dr. Pramod Sawant was born on 24 April 1973 to Pandurang and Padmini Sawant," the wiki page read.
The Goa Tourism Department on Monday cancelled the traditional Shigmo festivities, scheduled to be held from March 21, in view of the demise of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Sunday. (READ HERE)
The Goa Tourism Department on Monday cancelled the traditional Shigmo festivities (spring festival), scheduled to be held from March 21, in view of the demise of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Sunday.
An artist from Amroha, Mohammad Zuhaib, pays his last respects to late Goa Chief Minister #ManoharParrikar by making a charcoal portrait. pic.twitter.com/QsZUuB8wYZ
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) 18 March 2019
As a mark of respect to Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who died of pancreatic cancer on Sunday, the Haryana government declared a one-day state mourning. "The national flag will fly at half-mast on March 18," an order issued by Haryana Chief Secretary's office said.
BJP MLA Glenn Ticlo opined that one of the 12 BJP MLAs should lead Goa, following the demise of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar. Ticlo's reaction came after the opposition Congress, which is the single largest party in the 40-member Goa assembly, wrote to Governor Mridula Sinha, the third time in past two days to stake claim to form government in the state.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Governor Mridula Sinha meet family of Goa CM #ManoharParrikar, in Panaji. pic.twitter.com/X11DkUJofU
— ANI (@ANI) 18 March 2019
Maharashtravadi Gomantak Party (MGP) was the sole party to represent Hindus till 1989 and the BJP wasn't really willing to grow at the expense of the age-old party by leading a division of Hindu votes in Goa. However, a chance interaction between Manohar Parrikar and the then union minister MGP's Ramakant Khalap changed the course. (READ HERE)
MGP leader Sudin Dhavalikar met Union minister and senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari at a hotel near Panaji to discuss the political situation in the state following the death of chief minister Manohar Parrikar.
#Goa: Congress delegation meets Governor Mridula Sinha in Panaji. pic.twitter.com/pjQhHcwHxx
— ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2019
Tendulkar made the above statement after meeting Union minister and senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari at a hotel near Panaji over the issue."The decision on chief ministerial candidate is yet to be taken. But the picture will be clear by 2 pm," Tendulkar said, adding that the new chief minister would be sworn in after 3 pm Monday.Tendulkar met Gadkari along with Assembly Speaker Pramod Sawant, who is a contender for the top post.
