Goa: Newly Elected MLAs Take Oath, New CM Likely To Be Decided After Holi

PS Sreedharan Pillai, the Governor of Goa, will be administering the oath to the new MLAs.

Pramod Sawant on Saturday had submitted his resignation to the Governor before the formation of the new government. He currently holds the post of caretaker-CM.

(Photo: The Quint) 

While there is no clarity regarding who the next Chief Minister (CM) of Goa will be, newly elected MLAs of the Goa Legislative Assembly took oath on Tuesday, 15 March.

The MLAs were seen posing for a group photo after the oath-taking ceremony.

When asked about government formation in the state, Goa caretaker CM Pramod Sawant said, "Central observers will come. After they come, a discussion will be done, the Leader of the Legislative Party will be elected and then the formation of the Government will take place...I am going to Delhi today," news agency ANI reported.

Union Minister for Agriculture Narendra Singh Tomar and Union Minister of State for Fisheries L Murugan have been appointed the central observers for the selection of the leader of Goa's Legislative Assembly.

PS Sreedharan Pillai, the Governor of Goa, administered the oath to the new MLAs during a swearing-in ceremony held on Tuesday.

On Monday, Ganesh Gaonkar, who won the election from the Sanvordem constituency, had taken oath as pro-tem speaker at the Goa Raj Bhawan, news agency ANI reported.

Since the Assembly election results for Goa were announced on 10 March, there has been no clarity regarding whether Pramod Sawant will remain the CM or the post would be taken up by a new face.

Sawant on Saturday had submitted his resignation to the Governor before the formation of the new government.

'New CM Will Be Sworn-in After Holi': BJP State President

In the meantime, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state President for Goa, Sadanand Shet Tanavade, said on Monday that the state's new CM would be sworn-in only after the Holi festival on Friday, as per a report by ANI.

Apart from Sawant, former Health Minister Vishwajit Rane and Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho are considered top contenders for the post.

The BJP had won 20 out of the total 40 seats in the 2022 Goa Assembly election.

(With inputs from ANI.)