Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president JP Nadda, and Union ministers Amit Shah and Nitin Gadkari will be present at incumbent chief minister Dr Pramod Sawant’s grand oath-taking ceremony at Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium in North Goa on March 28.
“Elaborate security arrangements are being made. Chief ministers of other BJP-ruled states will also remain present, along with Union ministers of state (MoS),” said a Goa BJP official, who is part of the planning team.
Close to 10,000 dignitaries, guests and party workers are expected to attend the event. Large LED screens will be put up outside the venue.
“The ministers who will take oath along with Sawant will also bring their supporters to the venue in buses. The traffic cell is already working on arrangements to ensure the general public is not inconvenienced and parking space,” said the source.
The Sawant-led BJP government has 20 MLAs and needed the support of just one more MLA to reach the magic figure of 21 in the 40-seat assembly. With three independents and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party’s (MGP) two MLAs pledging support, the BJP is comfortably placed at 25.
Along with Sawantother party heavyweights namely Vishwajit RaneBabush Monserrate and Mauvin Godinho are expected to take the oath.
MGP supremo Sudin Dhavlikar and independent MLA Aleixo Reginald Lourenco are also likely to be part of the cabinet. “The portfolios to be allocated have been decided and it will be known soon,” said a top BJP official from the coastal state.
This will be Sawant’s second innings as the chief minister of Goa. He has completed three years as the chief minister, after taking over in March 2019 after the death of Manohar Parrikar. Sawant, the MLA from Sanquelim, has also been the speaker of the Goa assembly.
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