Mumbai: Former state health minister Vishwajit Rane, Independent candidate Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party's Sudin Dhavalikar are among 10 MLAs likely to be included in Goa Chief Minister-designate Pramod Sawant's Cabinet.


Besides them, former Goa transport and housing minister Mauvin Godinho, former art and culture minister Govind Gawde, Rohan Khaunte, former revenue and information technology minister Jennifer Monserrate, Ravi Naik and Subhash Shirodkar are also likely to be included in the Cabinet, sources told ABP News.


READ | Suspense Ends, Pramod Sawant Gets Second Term As Chief Minister Of Goa


Earlier in the day, BJP announced that Pramod Sawant would return as the Chief Minister of Goa for a second term.


Pramod Sawant was elected unanimously as the BJP legislature party leader, with Vishwajit Rane proposing his name.


There was speculation that the BJP was in a dilemma over choosing the next CM of the state between Sawant and his former health minister Vishwajit Rane.


The BJP, which won 20 seats in the 40-member assembly, submitted letters of support from the MGP, Goa's oldest regional party, and three Independents to Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai, PTI reported. 


The 48-year-old led the BJP in Goa in the recently held Assembly election in which the saffron party managed to improve its tally by winning 20 of the 40 seats, compared to 13 five years earlier. Sawant was made the CM in March 2019 after the death of former Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar.


Talking to reporters after being elected the BJP legislature party leader, Pramod Sawant said his government would work with "full transparency" and take forward the mission of 'Swayampurna Goa 2.0'.


"Swayampurna Goa is an extension of Prime Minister Modi's Aatmanirbhar Bharat scheme which will be implemented across the state with thrust on self-sufficiency," PTI quoted Sawant as saying.