The tussle for gaining power in Goa reached a fever pitch with the demise of the state’s Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Sunday, 17 March. About an hour after Parrikar was cremated on Monday, reports started doing the rounds that Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Goa Assembly Speaker Pramod Sawant would be sworn in as the new chief minister of the state.
Sudin Dhavalikar and Vijai Sardesai, the chiefs of two allies of the BJP in the state would become deputy chief ministers, according to the reports.
However, the allies and the BJP are yet to reach a final decision. News agency PTI reported, quoting a party leader, that party President Amit Shah will meet alliance partners on Monday evening to settle the issue.
The Goa Forward Party and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party's three MLAs each, an equal number of Independents, and BJP legislators have been meeting since late Sunday night to reach a consensus on Parrikar's successor.
Four Candidates for the Post
Currently, at least four names are doing the rounds as possible candidates for the chief minister’s post.
Pramod Sawant – BJP
Goa Assembly Speaker Pramod Sawant has emerged as one of the front-runners for the CM’s chair. Quoting a former minister from the allies, The Hindu reported that the BJP is insisting on Sawant’s name even as the allies are not convinced. Sawant represents the Sanquelim constituency in central Goa.
Vinay Tendulkar – BJP
The state party President Vinay Tendulkar has appeared as a more acceptable option for the allies, reported NDTV. Tendulkar had bagged the lone Rajya Sabha seat from Goa in 2017.
Vishwajit Rane – BJP
According to a PTI report, earlier on Monday, BJP MLA and Deputy Speaker of the Goa Assembly Michael Lobo had claimed that Sawant and state Health Minister Vishwajit Rane had been shortlisted for the CM's post. Rane, who represents the constituency of Valpoi, had quit Congress to join the saffron party in 2017.
Digambar Kamat – Congress
Amid all the speculation, former chief minister of the state and senior Congress leader Digambar Kamat has come into the fray after left for New Delhi on Sunday, amid speculation that he may join BJP, even as he denied any such move. Kamat was second in command in the BJP till 2005 when he switched over to the Congress.
(With inputs from PTI, NDTV and The Hindu)
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