Pramod Sawant says BJP will soon form govt in Goa after meet with top brass in Delhi

Earlier in the day, Sawant met BJP national president JP Nadda as the party brainstormed and deliberated on government formation in the stare.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will soon form its government in Goa, said the state’s caretaker chief minister Pramod Sawant after holding talks with the party’s top brass in Delhi. "We got a majority in Goa. The BJP government will be formed soon. I came to meet and seek the blessings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and others," news agency ANI quoted Sawant as saying.

BJP leader Pramod Sawant.(PTI)

Earlier in the day, Sawant met BJP national president JP Nadda as the party brainstormed and deliberated on government formation in the stare.

BJP’s Goa-in-charge Devendra Fadnavis and state unit president Sadanand Tanavade were part of the meeting, according to a report by ANI. The meeting reportedly stretched for three hours. Later, BJP leader CT Ravi said, "The date of the oath ceremony will be decided by central observers Narendra Singh Tomar and L Murugan." Extending his gratitude to the PM, he said it was "due to his name and work the BJP won in Goa."

Sawant also met the PM in the national capital following which the latter wrote on Twitter, "Our party is grateful to the people of Goa for blessing us yet again with the mandate to serve the state. We will keep working for Goa's progress in the times to come."

The party will now send Tomar, Union agriculture minister, to Goa as a central observer to facilitate government formation in the state. Muruhan, central minister for fisheries and animal husbandry, will also accompany him as an observer.

The BJP emerged as the single-largest party in Goa, winning 20 seats in the 40-member Assembly, leaving the Congress with 11 seats at a distant second position. Independent candidates bagged three seats, while two seats each went to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak (MGP). Revolutionary Goans Party and Goa Forward Party (GFP) got one seat each. The polling for the coastal state was held February 14 and the votes were counted on March 10.

The BJP has cited “central procedures” for the delay in finalising the chief minister, however, visible differences have emerged among the MLAs over whether or not to accept the “unconditional” support offered by Sudin Dhavalikar of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) who has pledged that he will support the government after conversations with the BJP’s central leadership.