Parrikar inducts two former Congressmen as cabinet ministers

Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday inducted two more ministers in his BJP-led coalition ministry, namely Mauvin Godinho and Vishwajit Rane.

Both the newly-appointed ministers are former Congress leaders.

Godinho and Rane were administered the oaths of office and secrecy by Governor Mridula Sinha. While Rane resigned from the Congress party and as MLA on the day of the floor test in the state assembly on March 16 before joining the BJP last week, Godinho had switched over to the BJP from the Congress shortly before the February 4 state assembly polls.

The Parrikar-led coalition ministry now includes five ministers from the BJP (including Chief Minister), three from Goa Forward, two from the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and two Independents.

Speaking to the media, Parrikar said the portfolios to the newly-inducted ministers would be allotted within this week.

The BJP, which won 13 seats in the state legislative assembly polls, cobbled together a coalition government with its allies last month. The Congress had won 17 seats in the 40-member Goa legislative assembly.

--IANS

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