BJP Yet To Decide On Goa CM Face, Elected MLAs To Take Oath On March 15: Report

MLA-elect Ganesh Gaonkar will be administered oath as pro-tem speaker on March 14 at Raj Bhavan by the governor after which the former would conduct the oath-taking ceremony for other legislators

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New Delhi: While suspense over the new Goa Chief Minister prevails, the newly elected legislators of the 40-member Goa Assembly will take oath on March 15.

Goa Governor PS Sreedharan Pillai has summoned the session of the state legislative Assembly on March 15 for new MLAs for the swearing-in ceremony. 

A circular issued in this regard also said MLA-elect Ganesh Gaonkar will be administered oath as pro-tem speaker on March 14 at Raj Bhavan by the governor after which the former would conduct the oath-taking ceremony for other legislators, PTI reported. 

Even after four days of Goa Assembly election results, BJP is yet to decide if Pramod Sawant will be given a second chance to sit on the Chief Minister's chair or the party will be bringing a new CM.

The BJP will stake claim to form a government in the coastal state on Monday.

On Saturday, BJP MLA-elect Vishwajit Rane, who is being seen as a top contender for the post, met the governor, setting off speculations that he is lobbying for the Chief Minister's post and this meeting with Governor is seen by some in the same context. However, Rane dismissed these reports and said that his visit to the governor was a personal one.   

Vishwajit Rane, a former health minister, denied reports of factionalism within the party in Goa and said, "It was solely a personal visit to invite him to my constituency and take his blessings following my victory in the Assembly election. Everything isn't political." (on Twitter)

In a statement, Rane clarified that he met the governor as he wanted to invite Pillai to his Valpoi constituency following his poll victory. He met the governor after the latter dissolved the state Legislative Assembly, whose term expires on March 15.

However, reports suggest that Rane has been projecting himself as a candidate for Goa's CM as the incumbent Pramod Sawant held a meeting with 17 of his party's MLAs to consolidate his position. 

On Saturday, incumbent chief minister Pramod Sawant submitted his resignation to the governor, paving the way for the formation of a new government. He was appointed as the caretaker CM by the governor.

The BJP won 20 seats in the polls to the 40-member Assembly, voting for which was held on February 14 and the results were declared on March 10.

The BJP, which has been promised support by three Independent MLAs, will stake claim to form a government in the coastal state on Monday, sources said.