PANAJI: Former Goa chief minister Digambar Kamat of Congress was Wednesday appointed as the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly by the party, days after his predecessor Chandrakant Kavlekar and nine other MLAs crossed over to the ruling BJP.
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Girish Chodankar told PTI that the All India Congress Committee (AICC) has approved election of Kamat as Leader of Opposition.
The recent defection of 10 MLAs of the Congress has reduced the strength of the party in the 40-member House to just five.
Kamat's name was reportedly finalised during a meeting of the five MLAs with AICC secretary A Chellakumar last week, ahead of the monsoon session of the Assembly which began on July 15.
Kamat had served as a chief minister during 2007-2012 before the BJP defeated the Congress in the polls.
Three out of the ten MLAs of the Congress were inducted into the cabinet by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant after they switched side.