Pramod Sawant to stay Goa chief minister

Pramod Sawant will continue as Goa’s chief minister for a second term, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) central observer Narendra Singh Tomar announced on Monday evening. Sawant was declared the leader of BJP’s legislature party at a party meeting that was attended by several senior leaders, including unin minister Narendra Singh Tomar, who was deputed to the state as a central observer by the party high command during the Goa assembly elections. 

“As observers, we came to oversee the meeting of the legislative assembly. The elected MLAs discussed the issue of leadership and it has emerged that the leader will be Pramod Sawant. The proposal to that effect was tabled by Vishwajit Rane and seconded by six others,” Tomar said. “I asked if there were any other names that anyone else would like to propose and all the elected members said that they are supporting Pramod Sawant,” Tomar added. According to Narendra Singh Tomar, Sawant was the unanimous choice of leaders at the meeting. The BJP will stake their claim to form the government in the state. 

“We have the support of three independents and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and are taking them along in the government. We are meeting the governor to formally stake claim after a meeting with those who are supporting us. I thank the people of Goa for voting the BJP with a near full majority in the state. We are forming the government with a majority of 25,” Sawant said. The BJP won 20 of the 40 seats in the recently-concluded Goa elections. The Congress came in second with 11 seats.