Manohar Parrikar appointed as Goa chief minister

Defence minister Manohar Parrikar was appointed Goa chief minister on Sunday after BJP concluded hectic negotiations with regional parties and independents to stitch up the numbers to form a government.

Governor Mridula Sinha invited Parrikar to form the government after he staked claim and showed the support of 21 MLAs.

The governor has asked Parrikar to prove majority in the assembly within 15 days of assuming charge. Parrikar`s candidature was cleared by the BJP parliamentary board on Sunday evening.

BJP defeated Congress, which has more numbers, by tying up with Goa Forward Party, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (both of whom have three MLAs), independent Rohan Khaunte and BJP-supported independent Govind Gaude.

The saffron outfit has 13 MLAs in the 40-member Goa assembly while Congress has 17. Parrikar`s return to Goa would mean a vacancy in the cabinet committee on security.

BJP sources said his replacement had not been decided though additional charge could be given to a senior minister.

"We have formed the government under a common minimum programme to provide stable and to continue development in the state," BJP leader Nitin Gadkari told reporters.

During the discussion with BJP, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and Goa Forward Party (GFP) put a condition that they would support the BJP-led coalition government if Parrikar was made the chief minister.

Parrikar`s candidature was seen as necessary to get allies on board and to then lead a government held up by a disparate coalition.

Even during the campaign, BJP`s Goa incharge Nitin Gadkari had suggested that Parrikar could return as CM, in what now seems to have been an acknowledgement that his successor Laxmikant Parsekar had failed to deliver the goods.

GFP mentor and Fatorda MLA Vijay Sardesai and Khaunte, who were vocal critics of the saffron outfit, joined hands with the BJP alliance. BJP expects two more MLAs to join the coalition. MGP, which broke off the alliance with BJP on election eve over serious differences with Parsekar, returned to the BJP fold.

Though GFP MLAs were not in favour of aligning with the BJP, the saffron party assured them that their various demands would be met. It also agreed to give cabinet berth to all three MLAs.

BJP also assured two cabinet seats to MGP and one each to the two independents.

Source: NDTV