Defence Minister Parrikar appointed Chief Minister of Goa
Goa Governor Mridula Sinha today appointed Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar as the Chief Minister of Goa. Parrikar has been asked to prove majority within 15 days after taking oath with the swearing in ceremony likely to be held on Tuesday. Notably, BJP was the second largest party behind Congress in a fractured mandate in the Goa assembly elections.n
Goa Governor Mridula Sinha today appointed Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar as the chief minister of Goa. Parrikar has been asked to prove majority within 15 days after taking oath. Parrikar will resign from his post and stake claim of the government. Swearing-in ceremony likely to be held on Tuesday. Earlier, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari confirmed that Parrikar was the BJP's chief ministerial candidate in Goa in a tweet. Parrikar, however, told the news agency ANI that he hadn't resigned yet. Parrikar said that once the BJP received an invitation, it would consult with its colleagues and pick a date for the swearing-in. On his tenure as Defence Minister, he said it was difficult since it was a new department, but added he was happy no corruption allegations were levelled against the government, ANI reported.  BJP GARNERS SUPPORT FROM SMALLER PARTIES, INDEPENDENTS The Congress, which emerged as the single largest party with 17 MLAs in yesterday's election result, was hoping that the nine non-BJP MLAs would offer it support but that was not to be. But BJP with just 13 was quick to gather support of the smaller parties and the independents. In the 40-seat Goa Assembly, a party or coalition requires support of 21 MLAs to form government. Congress has 17 MLAs and BJP only 13 but the latter cobbled together a coalition with nine out of the other 10 MLAs. GFP, MGP AND INDEPENDENT MLAs OFFER SUPPORT Three Goa Forward Party, three Maharashtravadi Gomantak Party and all three independent MLAs met BJP leaders today evening and offered their letters of support.Goa Forward Party president Vijay Sardesai came out of the meeting and announced that they had decided to support BJP to form the government under the leadership of Manohar Parrikar. With Vijai Sardesai were Rohan Khaunte and Sudin. Senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari and Manohar Parrikar successfully persuaded them to support BJP.The Congress was confident that the independents and smaller Goa parties will come together to support a Congress government since the mandate in Goa went against the previous government. The outgoing government was a BJP government earlier led by Manohar Parrikar.Laxmikant Parsekar had replaced Parrikar as the latter was called by Narendra Modi to become the country's defence minister. Parsekar's popularity dipped soon and the party got a drubbing in the election in which Parsekar lost his own seat. BJP with the support of MGP, GFP & others have stake claim to form the Government in the state of Goa pic.twitter.com/FNyiEQygWF PARRIKAR: A POPULAR FIGURE IN GOA Manohar Parrikar, an IIT graduate, is popular in Goa and enjoys a clean image. He leads a simple life and people believe he is an honest politician where politicians are notoriously corrupt. Parrikar had earlier too expressed his desire to return to Goa because he did not like Delhi, particularly its food didn't agree to his palate used to Goan fish recipes.Congress's Digvijaya Singh called it a political coup and accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of horse-trading. The BJP rubbished the allegations saying the independent MLAs and those of smaller parties did not wish to support the Congress.PARRIKAR'S CABINET Sources say all Goa Forward Party and Maharashtravadi Gomantak Party MLAs will be made ministers in the government. At least two independent MLAs including Rohan Khaunte would also get ministerial berths. The Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Assembly will be from the Bharatiya Janata Party. (Inputs from ANI) ALSO READ Goa election results 2017: Full list of winners