Amidst suspense over CM face, BJP appoints Narendra Singh Tomar, L. Murugan as central observers for Goa  

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Mumbai: Keeping the suspense alive over who would be Goa’s next Chief Minister, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) top brass on Monday appointed Union Minister of Agriculture Narendra Singh Tomar and Union Minister of State for Fisheries and Animal Husbandry L. Murugan as observer and co-observer for the election of the leader of Goa’s legislative party.  

According to sources, both observers will be holding one-on-one meetings with all the winning BJP candidates.  

Speaking to newspersons here in Panaji, BJP Goa State President Sadanand Shet Tanavade that the swearing in of the new government was likely to take place only after the Holi festivities (March 18-19). 

The results declared on March 10 saw the BJP win a decisive win a decisive 20 of the 40 Assembly seats besides gaining unconditional support from three independent candidates as well as the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), which had contested the February 14 polls on an anti-BJP plank in alliance with the Trinamool Congress (TMC). 

When asked about inclusion of the MGP in the government, Tanavade said that the decision rested with the central leadership. He nonetheless admitted that a number of the newly elected MLAs and party workers were against taking the MGP along in the new government. 

The BJP will stake claim to form the government for the third consecutive term. However, the issue of who will fill the Chief Minister’s post continues to give rise to speculation over Dr Pramod Sawant’s wafer thin victory margin from his constituency Sanquelim, will he be retained as the next new chief minister. 

Sawant had narrowly won by a margin of just 666 votes defeating the Congress’ Dharesh Saglani. In contrast, his alleged rival within the BJP – Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane – had scored emphatic win in his bastion Valpoi by winning with a huge margin of over 8,000 votes. Rane’s win has put a cloud over Sawant’s claim to the CM’s post.  

According to some observers, Sawant is likely to continue as Chief Minister as the BJP had campaigned with him as the Chief Ministerial candidate after the results.  

Rane’s meeting with the Governor on Saturday sparked political speculation over the purpose of his call. Later, an irate Rane hit out at the media for reading ‘political intent’ into what was purely a “personal visit.” 

“Much as Vishwajit Rane may angle for the CM’s post, the party top brass is unlikely to replace Dr Pramod Sawant at this stage. It would have been a different matter had Sawant lost the Sanquelim seat. Again, despite Rane meeting the Governor, the latter hardly is the one to decide who will be the next CM of Goa,” said a political analyst.  

Governor P.S. Sreedharan Pillai has convened the session of the state legislative Assembly for the new MLAs to take oath on Tuesday. 

Pillai has already appointed BJP MLA Ganesh Gaonkar as the pro-tem Speaker to administer the oath to newly elected members. The Governor on Saturday last week had dissolved the Goa Legislative Assembly with Dr Pramod Sawant tendering his resignation as the Chief Minister.