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Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Trivendra Singh Rawat (both former CMs), among others, met the party’s central leadership at Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s residence here, state party chief Madan Kaushik said.
Besides Shah, BJP president JP Nadda and general secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh were also present in the meeting that lasted more than an hour. Kaushik, who also attended the meeting, said the BJP legislative party will meet Monday evening after the MLAs have taken the oath as members of the state assembly.
Earlier in the day, Dhami said the process of government formation is underway and the BJP’s central leadership will take a call on the next chief minister. The party has appointed Defence Minister Rajnath Singh as the observer for government formation in the state.
The BJP, despite its emphatic win, has been in a bit of quandary over the new chief minister as Dhami, who spearheaded its successful campaign, lost his Khatami seat. A section of the party’s state unit still wants Dhami as the chief minister, while some favour a change.
Dhami continues to be the frontrunner for the chief minister’s post despite his defeat but other probable names for the top job doing the rounds include those of Chaubattakhal MLA Satpal Maharaj, Shrinagar MLA Dhan Singh Rawat and Rajya Sabha member Anil Baluni.
Union Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt and former chief minister and union minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank are also being talked about as probable candidates for the top job. The BJP clinched 47 seats in the 70-member Assembly.
The BJP will meet the Goa governor on Monday and stake a claim to form the next government, state unit resident Sadanand Shet Tanavade said on Sunday.
The much-awaited BJP legislature party meeting will also be held on Monday to select the leader of the House, who will be the next chief minister. “BJP president J P Nadda has informed that the legislature party meeting would be held on Monday after which party leaders will meet Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai and stake a claim to form the next government,” Tanavade told a press conference.
The legislature party meeting will begin at 4 PM on Monday. BJP’s observer Narendra Singh Tomar and co-observer L Murugan, Goa election in-charge Devendra Fadanavis, desk in-charge C T Ravi will attend the legislature party meeting, Tanavade said. He said the date of swearing-in of the new government would be decided after meeting the governor on Monday.
In the recently-held elections in Goa, BJP won the majority by bagging 20 of the total 40 seats. Three Independents and two MLAs of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) have already extended their support to BJP.
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