Mar 13, 2017: BJP leader Manohar Parrikar will be sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Goa tomorrow and according to sources Mr Parrikar has tendered his resignation as Defence Minister and sent the letter to the Prime Minister’s Office. He is likely to contest from Mapusa Constituency from where incumbent Deputy CM Francisco D’Souza won. D’Souza is will vacate the seat for Parrikar.
Talking to reporters in Panaji, Parrikar said, BJP President Amit Shah, Union Ministers Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari will attend his swearing-in ceremony.
Governor Mridula Sinha had invited Mr Parrikar to form the next government in the coastal state last night after he submitted a letter of support of 21 legislators. Three MLAs of the Goa Forward Party, three of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and two Independents have pledged support to Mr Parrikar.
BJP, which won 13 seats in the 40-member Assembly, managed to garner support from other parties and Independents to attain ma jority under Mr Parrikar.
Meanwhile, Congress leaders fumed at failure of Party’s Top leadership in forming Congress Government though the Party has emerged as single largest Party. Congress got 17 seats in the recently concluded polls whereas BJP secured 13 seats.
Twitter posts of several news agencies say, President of India has accepted resignation of Manohar Parrikar as Defence Minister and Aryn Jaitley will look after Defence as an additional charge.