Pramod Sawant To Continue As Goa Chief Minister, BJP Ends Suspense

Pramod Sawant was on Monday unanimously elected the leader of the BJP legislature party in Goa, paving the way for him to take over as the chief minister for a second term.

Mr Sawant's name for the top post was cleared at a meeting of the newly elected BJP MLAs and senior party leaders in Panaji in the evening.

The meeting was also attended by BJP central observers Narendra Singh Tomar and L Murugan, Assembly poll in-charge Devendra Fadnavis and the party's state unit president, Sadanand Shet Tanavade.

"It has been decided that Dr Pramod Sawant would be the leader of the House," Mr Tomar told reporters after the meeting.

Mr Tomar said MLA Vishwajit Rane proposed Sawant's name as the leader of the BJP legislature party. His proposal was seconded by other MLAs, including Mauvin Godinho and Rohan Khaunte.

Mr Tomar said Mr Sawant's election was unanimous.

Talking to reporters here soon after being elected the BJP legislature party leader, giving him a second term as Chief Minister, Pramod Sawant said creation of adequate infrastructure and human development would be the focus areas of the state government in the next five years.

He said his outgoing government had successfully implemented 'Swayampurna Goa 1.0' and its second version will be executed with even more vigour.

"Swayampurna Goa is an extension of Prime Minister Modi's Aatmanirbhar Bharat scheme which will be implemented across the state with thrust on self-sufficiency," he said.

Under the programme, a state government officer is appointed as 'Swayampurna Mitra' who visits a designated panchayat or municipality, interacts with people, coordinates with multiple departments and ensures that benefits of various welfare schemes reach the targeted population.

He said he will take along non-BJP legislators who have extended their support to the new government.

"We will work with full transparency taking into confidence the parties which have extended their support to the government. We all will work together," he said.

The BJP won 20 seats, just one short of majority in the 40-member Assembly, in the February 14 polls. It has received support from two MLAs of the MGP and three Independent legislators.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)