CM Pramod Sawant wins floor test; Sudin Dhavalikar, Vijai Sardesai designated Dy CM

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday won the floor test in the state Assembly after 20 MLAs including 11 from BJP and three each from Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), Goa Forward Party (GFP) and Independents voted in his favour.

Sawant had taken the oath as the Chief Minister in the wee hours of Tuesday following the death of Manohar Parrikar on Sunday evening after a prolonged battle against cancer.

Goa Governor Mridula Sinha on Wednesday designated Sudin Dhavalikar of Maharshtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and Vijai Sardesai of Goa Forward Party (GFP) as "Deputy Chief Minister" in the Goa government.

A government notification released in this regard said," The government is pleased to designate Sudin Dhavalikar and Vijai Sardesai as "Deputy Chief Minister" with immediate effect."

Both of them are already Cabinet Ministers in the Goa government.

Along with Sawant, 11 other members of Goa Assembly including Sudhin Dhavalikar of the MGP, Vijay Sardesai of the GFP and BJP MLA Vishwajit Rane, were also sworn-in as ministers in the new Cabinet.

After Parrikar's death, opposition Congress, which is the single largest party in the 40-member Assembly, had written twice to Governor Mridula Sinha staking claim to form the government.

While four seats in the Assembly are vacant, by-polls in three of the constituencies will be held on April 23. The previous Assembly polls in Goa were held in February 2017.

As per reports, this was a part of the deal struck between BJP and its allies in Goa where they would accept Pramod Sawant as Chief Minister while leaders of the two parties will be made Deputy Chief Ministers in the Goa government.

When BJP could not gain a majority on its own in Legislative Elections in 2017, MGP and GFP had agreed to be a part of the alliance after an assurance that Manohar Parrikar will be made the Chief Minister.