New Delhi: A day after ABP News-CVoter exit poll predicted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to emerge as the single largest party in Goa by giving it 17 seats in the 40-member assembly, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
While speaking to the media today, Sawant said he met PM Modi and held discussions on forming government in the state. He also said that he was assured of a second chance as the chief minister of Goa by BJP leaders.
"I met with PM Modi today, held poll discussion. We'll form govt with max seats... I feel I'll be given the chance to serve...(as Goa CM) once again. BJP has said so (his candidature as CM), it'll definitely happen. BJP practices what it preaches," Pramod Sawant was quoted by news agency ANI.
Sawant also said that BJP is in talks with the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) to seek its support, if it falls short of the required number of 21 seats to form the government.
"The party has also kept open the option of seeking the support of independents and the MGP," said Sawant while speaking to news agency PTI.
In the 2017 assembly elections, the BJP had secured only 13 seats but it quickly managed to cobble up an alliance with MGP and the Goa Forward Party and independents to form government under the leadership of Manohar Parrikar.
The Congress with 17 seats had emerged as the single largest party then.
Thought BJP is again looking to secure support from MGP if it falls short of a complete majority, MGP legislator Sudin Dhavalikar has said that his party will "never support" Pramod Sawant as chief minister of the state, reported PTI.
Notably, MGP has this time contested the assembly election in alliance with Trinamool Congress of Mamata Banerjee. In 2019, the BJP had sacked two MGP ministers from the state cabinet.