The suspense whether the BJP will choose Pramod Sawant or go with Vishwajit Rane continues even as MLAs take their oath today
BJP’s Vishwajit Rane and Pramod Sawant. PTI
The election results were declared on 10 March and it was the BJP that triumphed in Goa. The BJP won 20 of the 40 seats in the coastal state and staked claim to form the government with the support of two Maharashtrawadi Gomantak (MGP) and three independent MLAs’ support.
However five days on, the suspense over who shall be chief minister of the coastal state continues. Will it be Pramod Sawant or will it be Vishwajit Rane?
What is even more surprising is that while the BJP hasn’t announced who shall be sworn in as the chief minister, Governor PS Sreedharan Pillai has summoned the session of the state legislative Assembly for the new MLAs to take oath on Tuesday.
What’s the hold-up? Why isn’t the BJP declaring who shall be chief minister of Goa?
Here may be the answers.
Sawant vs Rane?
Speculation is rife that there is a political tiff brewing between Pramod Sawant and Vishwajit Rane and that the BJP is trying to find a solution to keep both parties happy.
On Saturday, Pramod Sawant met Goa governor P S Sreedharan Pillai at Raj Bhavan and tendered his resignation. Vishwajit Rane went the next day to meet the governor, triggering speculation over his meet. But, he denied it was a political visit and called it a ‘personal visit’.
Earlier too, Rane had said that he could not confirm if Pramod Sawant would be the next chief minister and called it a ‘sensitive question’.
A News18 report citing sources within the party said that Rane was definitely in the chief minister’s race. “He is liked by some of the top leaders in Delhi. He is a strong contender, it’s the tussle between them that is delaying the decision,” a leader was quoted as telling News18.
Another instance displaying all was not well within the Goa unit of the BJP was when Rane released an advertisement thanking his voters, state BJP leaders and the central leadership. Curiously, Pramod Sawant’s picture was missing in that full page advertisement in the Lokmat.
Uttarakhand question
Another reason for the delay in declaring the chief minister of Goa is that the BJP is busy trying to finalise the name of the Uttarakhand chief minister. The saffron party was able to retain the hill state — it won 47 seats in a 70-member Assembly.
However, Pushkar Singh Dhami lost out his own constituency of Khatima to the Congress candidate, raising questions on his leadership.
News18 reported that while they have been able to narrow down a name for Uttarakhand, the party is finalising the names for the remaining three states and want to announce all four chief ministers together.
Goa governor Pillai has summoned the session of the state legislative Assembly on 15 March for new MLAs to take oath.
A circular issued in this regard also said MLA-elect Ganesh Gaonkar will be administered oath as pro-tem Speaker on 14 March at Raj Bhavan by the governor after which the former would conduct the oath taking ceremony for other legislators.
With inputs from agencies
Click here to know more about Assembly Elections 2022
Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News,
India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.