Supreme Court asks new CM to prove majority tomorrow

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Manohar Parrikar, who quit as defence minister on Monday, was sworn in as Goa chief minister for the fourth time yesterday. The Supreme Court directed his new government to prove its majority in the state assembly tomorrow.
The Congress has accused Goa Governor Mridula Sinha of acting unilaterally and inviting the BJP to form a government in Goa, without even meeting the 17 elected leaders of the Congress, which has emerged the largest party in the 40-member assembly after the state elections.
The governor administered the oath of office to Parrikar at Raj Bhavan yesterday evening.
While Parrikar and his nine-member cabinet were being sworn in, hundreds of people protested near Raj Bhavan, accusing the newly appointed chief minister and the leader of Goa Forward of trying to subvert the electoral mandate and using unfair means to come to power in the coastal state.
Speaking to reporters after being sworn in, Parrikar said the support garnered by the BJP was for the development of Goa.
“If there was support, then why did you (Congress) not go to the governor? The support extended to BJP to form government is only for Goa’s development,” Parrikar told reporters.
The chief minister also said the Congress could not stake claim to form the government because “no MLA wanted to support the Congress”.
Parrikar’s cabinet includes two ministers from the BJP - Francis D’Souza and Pandurang Madkaikar, three from regional party Goa Forward – Vijai Sardesai, Vinod Palienkar and Jayesh Salgaonkar, and two from another regional party Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party – Sudin Dhavalikar and Manohar Azgaonkar.
Two independent legislators Govind Gawde and Rohan Khaunte who joined the BJP coalition bandwagon on Sunday also were rewarded with berths. The third independent MLA Prasad Gaonkar also joined the BJP coalition on Monday and tendered his letter of support to the governor.
The 13-member BJP legislature party – the second largest after the Congress’s 17 – has been supported by three MLAs each from the Goa Forward and MGP and three independents, taking the majority headcount to 22.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Parrikar on his new appointment.
“Congratulations to @manoharparrikar and his team on being sworn in. My best wishes in taking Goa to new heights of progress,” Modi said in a tweet.
Earlier yesterday, hectic political developments played out in Goa as well as the national capital, where the Supreme Court, which was hearing a petition filed by the Congress challenging the governor’s invitation to the BJP to form government, directed Parrikar to prove his majority in assembly by tomorrow.
Governor Sinha while inviting Parrikar on Sunday to form the government had directed him to prove his majority within 15 days from being sworn in.
The court on the Congress petition, however, refused to interfere with the governor’s decision to appoint Parrikar as the chief minister.
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