AMN / GOA
The Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant today reshuffled his cabinet with the induction of four BJP ministers Michael Lobo, Chandrakant Kavlekar, Jennifer Monserratte and Philip Nery Rodrigues.
Governor Mridula Sinha administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new ministers at Raj Bhavan, Dona Paula near Panaji.
Earlier today, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant dropped ministers Vijai Sardesai, Vinod Palyenkar, Jayesh Salgaonkar, all three from Goa Forward party; and Rohan Khaunte, an independent MLA before inducting four new BJP ministers.
Deputy Sspeaker of Goa Legislative assembly Michael Lobo resigned today before taking oath as a minister.
Chief Minister maintained that the decision of inducting new ministers into cabinet was taken after getting nod from the central leadership of the party.
He added that now BJP government in Goa has a full majority. On Wednesday, 10 of the total 15 Congress MLAs in the Goa legislative assembly had split to merge with the BJP.
Three of them, were inducted into the cabinet today. The 40-member Goa assembly currently has 27 BJP legislators, five Congress MLAs, three each from Goa Forward Party and independents, and one each from Nationalist Congress Party and Maharasthrawadi Gomantak Party.