Parrikar, Rane take oath as MLAs

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and his Cabinet colleague Vishwajit Rane today took oath as members of the legislative assembly.
Parrikar and Rane were on August 28 declared elected in bypolls from Panaji and Valpoi constituencies, respectively.
"I am back to the original place. I have already decided mypriorities as the chief minister. My priorities as an MLA will start from today," Parrikar told reporters after the oath-taking ceremony.
Parrikar and Rane were administered oath in a brief ceremony in the assembly by Speaker Pramod Sawant.
Responding to a question, the chief minister said his assurance to appoint an IAS-level officer to study the problems of his constituency will start after consultations.

"We want to make Panaji a model city and the same criteria will be used for other cities which are to be upgraded," he said.

The IIT engineer-turned-politician took over as chief minister in March after resigning as defence minister. At that time he was a member of the Rajya Sabha and had to get elected to the assembly within stipulated six months to remain the CM.
Rane won from Valpoi in the February assembly polls on a Congress ticket. He later quit the party and also the assembly membership.
He then joined the BJP and was inducted in the Parrikar-led Cabinet.

The BJP has formed the government in alliance with the Goa Forward Party, the MGP and Independents.